Sunday Short Theatre - Catopolis (2022)

Chuck Palahniuk‘s The Fight Club is one of those great cult books, the David Fincher’s film adaptation is equally rewarding. It’s amazing to think that film was released 23 years ago, maybe not a film that needs to be remade, maybe inspiring other films. This week’s Sunday Short Theatre choice a ‘Fight Club ‘ style offer you cannot refuse, but is it all it seems?

When you lose your job you may enjoy the short time off before you start looking again. You wonder if things happen for a reason, even the ones that could have some dark, sinister reason behind it. Victoria Vincent (aka Vewn) animated short Catopolis takes elements of The Fight Club along with cult Korean Netflix show Squid Game.

This time it’s not (animated) humans but cats. One female cat especially, Penny who has had fights with a co-worker resulting in her losing her job. A mysterious organisation approach her to ‘fight’ for ‘some serious money’. Not all what it seems here possibly something sinister going on in the background.

This is the director’s longest film to date, running just under 14 minutes. It’s a bizarre, off kilter short that’s not scared to go to some dark places especially in desperation for money and even acceptance. Vewn (as she prefers to work under) has her own distinctive style which has won her fans worldwide and 16 shorts available to watch on her youtube channel.

When Penny loses her job for fighting with a co-worker, a mysterious stranger offers her an opportunity to “make some serious money”, but there’s something sinister happening at her new place of work.