LAUREN GILGER: In the past, we’ve spoken about the Worldwide Women’s Film Festival, the Scottsdale International Film Festival, the Phoenix Jewish Film Festival. It is time for a film festival celebrating the greatest asset on the internet.
STEVE GOLDSTEIN: The Space Jam website? The Tom Jones alarm clock?
GILGER: Those are good guesses, but no. Cats!
GOLDSTEIN: Oh, yeah, the musical. Memories — right?
GILGER: No, but I'm really glad you sang that . The memes. The Alamo Draft House and Taphouse will both be hosting the 2020 CatVideoFestfrom Feb. 29 to March 1.
GOLDSTEIN: So, like classics of screenings like “Apocalypse Meow" and “Walk the Feline”?
GILGER: That is right. It’s 70 minutes of cat videos like you’ve seen on the internet. Cats knocking stuff off of tables. Cats sounding like humans when they meow. Cats freaking out on catnip. All the stuff we all waste time watching on YouTube, collected into a single, theatrically presented film.
GOLDSTEIN: Right, so someone is lubricated with alcohol. So, cat videos and booze. (Laughs.)
GILGER: I think that's the idea. Proceeds support local animal shelters, and CatVideoFest is shown around the country and in Australia and Europe.
GOLDSTEIN: Are cats welcome at this film festival?
GILGER: I don't know about that. Cats in a dark movie theater? Seems like a bad idea. (Both laugh.)