The Case Of The Grinning Cat
Chats Perchés
Chris Marker
France | 2004 | 58mins | Beta | Colour
In the wake of the September 11 attacks in New York, a series of cats, spray-painted by a graffiti artist, began to adorn the streets of Paris, an event which immediately aroused the suspicions of eighty-four-year-old documentary maker Chris Marker. These grinning cats were soon embraced by anti-war activists as French solidarity with America was replaced with protests over the war in Iraq. The cats attained a new status in Paris with the slogan Make Cats, Not War now attached.
However, Marker debated whether the new political significance of the cat was due to fashion rather than the true spirit of idealism. This question lies at the heart of the film and is woven in with Marker’s trademark surreal humour along with scenes of protest on the streets of Paris, instantly evoking memories of the mythic events of May 1968. A contemporary of the French New Wave directors, Marker’s combination of diverse images and flair for photography results in an insightful and unique look at his two loves: activist politics and felines.
Will be screened with Nolens Volens: Whether Willing Or Unwilling |
