“American Cats” Movie
“American Cats: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly.” The film is a production of Clawson & Clawson Cinematics, LLC. The film presents a withering takedown of US veterinary trade associations, which should be advocating animal wellness, but instead perpetuate the lie that declawing is a harmless and necessary procedure. Correspondent Amy Hoggart (“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”) with Paw Project veterinarians and animal advocates bring viewers along on a journey to uncover the truth about the profit-driven motivation for advocating this needless and barbaric procedure, which can have devastating effects on cats.
“American Cats: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly” will have its official world premiere at the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto on April 28, with a second screening on April 29. Hots Docs is the biggest documentary film festival in North America.
AMERICAN CATS:
SYNOPSIS
Cat declawing is an inhumane and unnecessary surgical procedure that is banned in most of the world’s industrialized countries. However, it is both legal and all-too-common in the United States. Why is that? British-American correspondent Amy Hoggart (“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”) investigates the controversy that pits ethically-minded veterinarians, activists, and pet owners against a powerful industry lobby that promotes and profits from a surgical operation that can have profoundly negative physical and psychological effects on our feline friends.
Hoggart navigates a maze of misinformation that characterizes declawing as a benign intervention to thwart a cat’s natural instinct to scratch and claw. Surely, there are less gratuitously gruesome ways to curb unwanted behavior short of amputating your cat’s toes, aren’t there? Indeed, there are.
American Cats is a satirical but thought-provoking documentary that challenges the ethical implications of our choices. The film’s message appeals to our common sense and – hopefully – our better angels when it comes to making healthcare decisions for our feline companions.
Run Time: 90 minutes
Rating: Not rated
World Premiere: Hot Docs Film Festival, Toronto, April 28 & 29
Produced By: Clawson & Clawson Cinematics LLC
CAST and CREW
Amy Hoggart, Host
Amy Hoggart is a writer and comedian who wrote and hosted “It’s Personal” with Amy Hoggart (Tru TV), and she was a long-running correspondent on “Full Frontal” with Samantha Bee (TBS). Previously, she wrote and starred in two seasons of “Almost Royal” (BBC America, E4). She also appeared on The CW Network, BBC Online, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 4 Extra, Channel Dave and NPR. Amy’s articles have been published in The Guardian and Time Magazine, and currently, she can be heard co-hosting the comedy podcast “FeMANism.”
Todd Bieber, Director
Todd Bieber is a Peabody Winner and Emmy Nominee who has spent 20 years making documentaries. Recent highlights include being embedded with a militia in Georgia for the Comedy Central special, “Jordan Klepper Solves Guns“; directing the comedy improv tribute, “Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon”; and following the adrenaline-fueled steps of bank robbers in Beirut for The New York Times. In addition to being a Producer/Director for “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” and “The Opposition” with Jordan Klepper, Todd served as Creative Resident at Viceland when the network launched, Creative Director of UCB Comedy when it was still cool, and Writer/Footage Coordinator for The Onion when the footage was coordinated most impressively.
Grace Leeson, Producer
Grace Leeson is a producer and director known for Emmy-nominated shows including “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” “It’s Personal” with Amy Hoggart, “The Opposition” with Jordan Klepper, “Impractical Jokers” and “Indefensible” with Jena Friedman and Jordan Klepper. Her work is featured on networks that include Vice News, TBS, TruTV, Sundance TV, IFC, Comedy Central, and many more. As a lifelong animal lover, she is proud to be part of the team for “American Cats: The Good, The Bad and The Cuddly.”
Nona Catusanu, Director of Photography
Born in Romania and raised in NYC, Nona Catusanu-Popp is a cinematographer and visual artist. She graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor’s degree in Film and TV. She went on to study in the Cinematography Master’s Program at The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU), Czech Republic. She is a recipient of the ASC Vision Mentorship Award.
