There’s something deeply satisfying about watching cat videos with a room full of strangers who are all laughing at the same ridiculous feline antics. That’s exactly what happens every year when CatVideoFest rolls into Columbus at the Gateway Film Center, and honestly, it’s become one of those events that’s way more fun than you’d expect.
What started as a quirky idea back in 2012 has turned into the world’s number one cat video festival, and Columbus has been lucky enough to host it for several years running. The whole thing began when Will Braden, who created the Henri, le Chat Noir web series, won the Golden Kitty Award at the first Internet Cat Video Festival. Apparently, seeing how people came together just to watch cats being cats inspired him to take over the festival in 2015 and turn it into what it is today.
And what it is today is pretty impressive. Braden watches between 10,000 and 12,000 cat videos every year to curate the perfect 70-75 minute compilation. The BBC has actually verified him as the person who has watched the most cat videos in human history, which is both hilarious and probably a little concerning for his mental health.
The festival typically shows up at Gateway Film Center multiple times throughout the year, with recent showings happening in August. This year’s version features around 200 different cat-related clips pulled from submissions, animations, music videos, and those classic internet videos we all remember. It’s everything from cats knocking things off tables to elaborate musical numbers featuring feline stars.
More Than Just Entertainment
What makes CatVideoFest special isn’t just the absurd joy of watching cats be weird on a big screen with surround sound—though that’s definitely part of the appeal. The festival actually serves a purpose beyond entertainment. A portion of every ticket sale goes to support local cat charities and animal welfare organizations. In Columbus, they’ve partnered with Colony Cats, and nationally, the festival has raised over $50,000 for local shelters, plus facilitated adoptions and increased awareness about cat welfare.
Chris Hamel, President of Gateway Film Center, had been trying to bring the festival to Columbus for years before finally succeeding. He knew audiences would love it, and he was right. The family-friendly, completely non-political nature of the event makes it perfect for pretty much anyone who doesn’t actively hate cats.
The whole experience is designed to be a “joyous communal experience” that’s only available in theaters. You can’t stream this at home—it’s specifically created for the shared experience of laughing with other people at cats doing ridiculous things. And there’s something genuinely therapeutic about that.
The festival runs on a limited engagement basis, showing up around the same time each year thanks to a partnership with indie distributor Oscilloscope Pictures, the same company that helped bring the Turkish street cat documentary “Kedi” to theaters worldwide.
Gateway Film Center has made CatVideoFest an annual tradition, and it fits perfectly with their mission of using movies to strengthen the community. Because really, what brings people together better than universally agreeing that cats are hilarious?
If you’ve ever found yourself down a YouTube rabbit hole of cat videos at 2 AM, CatVideoFest is basically the socially acceptable, big-screen version of that experience. Plus, you get to help cats in need while you’re laughing. It’s probably the most wholesome way to spend 75 minutes watching the internet’s most beloved weirdos do what they do best.
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