Cat Daddies - Feature Documentary - USA

Da​vid Giovanni is living on the streets of New York, determined to stay together with his beloved cat Lucky. When he’s finally granted a spot in a transitional housing facility that accepts cats, the COVID-19 pandemic and a devastating medical diagnosis puts his future together with Lucky in doubt.
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David’s journey is interspersed with portraits of other “cat dads” from all over the country and some of which struggle to navigate the unprecedented events of 2020 with their little furry friends. They include a group of firefighters, a stunt man, a truck driver, a Bay Area tech worker, a schoolteacher whose cat becomes a viral sensation, and an actor/Instagram influencer.

Director Mye Hoang

 These men couldn’t be more different, but they share an unconditional love of their beloved pets. CAT DADDIES is a refreshing and timely exploration of modern masculinity and the unlikely bond between man and cat.

Mye Hoang is a Los Angeles based producer and director. She was a producer on the award-winning noir thriller MAN FROM RENO (Best Feature at the LA Film Festival and Spirit Award Nominee 2015) as well as the narrative feature I WILL MAKE YOU MINE by Lynn Chen (SXSW 2020). She has directed several narrative short films that have screened at film festivals around the world. Her first narrative feature VIETTE, a Vietnamese American coming-of-age story, debuted in 2012 and screened dozens of film festivals, including the Asian American International Film Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Fest. She is also the founder and former Executive Director of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas, and former Artistic Director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival. She has a BA in Cinema from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX where she was born and raised. CAT DADDIES is her first documentary feature.

Director StatementWe all know the stereotype of the crazy cat lady. And many of us have that friend, the one with the Instagram feed dedicated exclusively to cats. Self-described “Crazy Cat People” are a force to be reckoned with -- a community that’s here to stay and has only grown stronger in the age of social media. I watched over the course of a few years as my husband transformed into a bona fide cat person after he rescued a stray. However, something else changed inside him -- something deeper. He seemed to grow into a softer, more patient and compassionate person. This inspired me to find more men who had undergone a similar transformation, and document their stories as a way to explore the modern male.
As I dug deeper on “Cat Instagram,” I discovered dozens of men who seemed to be living their best life with their feline companions. Their stories ran the gamut -- from firefighters in South Carolina who unapologetically dote on their “fire cat,” to an unhoused immigrant on the streets of New York who always puts the needs of his cat above his own. Many of the subjects are the very embodiment of the traditional definition of “manliness” -- the aforementioned firemen, a stuntman, a truck driver. All of them unapologetically dote on their beloved pets in a way that I found very touching.
I see CAT DADDIES as both a collective portrait as well as a time capsule, documenting a challenging year in which people desperately needed hope, relief, and healing. It may not convert everyone to love cats, but I hope seeing images of men caring for these little creatures wins over a few skeptics and becomes a catalyst for compassionate change in a time we need it the most.

AniFab judge's aggregate score is 8.4 out of 10 with one judge noting, "Cat Daddies have their voice now, and with Mye's cat-tastic profile, it will soon be a roar.  Who doesn't want to love these Cat Daddies?"