SERIES PASSES: $45 General, $25 for NWFF Members

For nearly as long as humans have created art, cats have acted as their muses. From Egyptian tomb art, to Japanese woodblock painting, to French impressionism, our curious feline friends have been the inspiration for countless artists throughout the centuries.

No art form is perhaps better suited to represent the wonders of these fascinating creatures than the moving image. Cats have often been the subject of mainstream films, but they hold a particularly special place among cinema’s vanguard. Hep Cats is an ode to the felines of the independent, radical, introspective, and somewhat strange world of art cinema.

We begin with French essayist Chris Marker, possibly the ultimate cat-loving film artist, whose Case of the Grinning Cat follows a meandering trail of cat-themed graffiti. Next is Kuroneko, Kaneto Shindo’s beautifully shot revenge tale anchored upon a wonderfully creepy black cat. Harry and Tonto offers a counterpoint to Kuroneko’s darkness, and is a charming, overlooked gem of American independent cinema. We round out the series with Paul Schrader’s lurid ‘80s cult horror / art cinema hybrid Cat People, a fan favorite for its lush imagery and sleek Giorgio Moroder-produced soundtrack.

Programmed for Northwest Film Forum by Lori Donnelly.