Calling all cat lovers!
CatVideoFest is returning to theaters nationwide. The celebration of felines on film will kick off on August 7, 2026.
Founded in 2016 by Will Braden, CatVideoFest is a compilation of the latest and best cat videos, meaning the ones in which felines are adorable, frisky or getting into some kind of amusing trouble. A Variety report on CatVideoFest described it as “…exactly what you think it is: 73 minutes of nonstop cat videos. It feels like a wholesome time capsule of the early-YouTube internet, or perhaps your grandmother’s Facebook feed. It’s I Can Has Cheezburger?: The Movie. There’s no larger narrative or even uniformity between the clips. Some are in vertical format while others fill the widescreen. Some have captions and emojis strewn across the frame. Some are in high definition and others, to borrow an early-YouTube phrase, are recorded with a toaster.”
The event raises money for cats in need through partnerships with local charities, animal welfare organizations and shelters. Since 2019, CatVideoFest has also facilitated adoptions, fostering and volunteer sign-ups.
It’s meant big business for theaters too. The festival has grossed over $1 million domestically and nearly $2 million worldwide. This year, it will expand from roughly 200 to more than 330 screening locations across the U.S. and Canada. Internationally, there will be screenings in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Brazil, Denmark, the United Kingdom and France.
Over the years, Braden has tried to expand, launching a DogVideoFest at one point, but it didn’t elicit the same response.
“The personality of a cat just lends itself to jokes and funny bits,” Braden told Variety last year. “Dogs are so obedient and want your affection. Cats are more hands off. And their expressions are more of a blank slate and they’re kind of imperious. It allows you to project more on to them. There’s a reason the ancient Egyptians worshipped them.”
Here’s a first look at the poster:
variety.com
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