Cats, Camera, Action! Felines on Film with film critic Angelica Jade Bastién, cinéastes Mye Hoang and Rob Bennett (25 Cats From Qatar) and photographer BriAnne Wills (Girls and Their Cats)

Who loves cats and cinema? On this episode, the crew of your favorite cat-themed culture, history and science podcast make our first foray into feline film studies! Join us for a 40 minute discussion on the roles cats have played onscreen - from overlooked props and stereotypes to scene-stealing stars who shape stories and symbolize mystery, power and resilience. Host Amanda “Captain Kitty” B. is joined by film critic Angelica Jade Bastién, 25 Cats from Qatar and Cat Daddies filmmaker Mye Hoang (with cinematographer Rob Bennett), and Girls and Their Cats video series creator Brianne Wills to unpack how filmmakers use the “five Cs of cinematography” to portray cats, the cultural tropes tying felines to witches and “mad women” and the rise of cat-pawsitive storytelling in both film and digital media. From Hollywood classics to international documentaries and everyday cat videos, we explore how these furry icons are reshaping the zeitgeist - and how we can celebrate and sustain this New Wave. Note: There is a brief mention of gender-based violence. If you or someone you know has experienced domestic or intimate partner violence or assault, please connect with 1-800-656-HOPE (US) or visit domesticshelters.org for international resources. You are not alone, nobody deserves it and you have options. Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats. And check out these supplementary episodes: Witches, Whiskers and Whisky: Re-introducing the Original Cat Lady of Halloween! [Season 2 Premiere] Cats vs Cupid: Why Cats are the Better Valentine’s Day Mascot Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore Felines & Fatherhood: Exploring Masculinity, Father’s Day, and the Unique Bond Between Men and Cats   About the experts: Angelica Jade Bastién is a critic and essayist at New York Magazine’s site Vulture. She has been featured on Rotten Tomatoes and her work has been published in many publications including Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, and within Criterion Blu-ray releases. She lives in Chicago with her two cats. You can subscribe to her newsletter, Madwomen & Muses on Substack. BriAnne Wills is a fashion and beauty photographer and the creator of Girls and Their Cats, a photo and YouTube series created by BriAnne as a way to debunk the crazy cat lady stereotype and to showcase cat-owning women in a positive light. Originally from Oregon, she currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two cats, Liza and Tuck. She’s photographed over 400 women around the US, all as unique as their feline friends. Subscribe to the Girls and Their Cats YouTube channel and sign up here to be featured in her next video shoot. Mye Hoang is a Los Angeles–based producer and director of cat-themed documentaries 25 Cats From Qatar (2025) and Cat Daddies (2022). She produced the award-winning noir thriller Man From Reno (LA Film Festival Best Feature, Spirit Award Nominee 2015) and Lynn Chen’s I Will Make You Mine (SXSW 2020), and her first narrative feature, Viette (2012), a Vietnamese American coming-of-age story, screened at dozens of festivals including the Asian American International Film Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Fest. Hoang is the founder and former Executive Director of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas, former Artistic Director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, and holds a BA in Cinema from Southern Methodist University. Visit 25catsfromqatar.com to purchase the film on Blu-ray and visit catdaddiesmovie.com Cat Daddies to watch On Demand or p