A 74-minute reel of the internet's finest feline footage arrives at Coral Gables Art Cinema on Friday, Aug. 21, and a portion of every ticket sold will go to The Cat Network, the South Florida nonprofit that has spayed or neutered more than 122,000 stray cats since 1995.
CatVideoFest 2026 screens three times at the Aragon Avenue cinema: Friday, Aug. 21, at 3 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 22, at noon; and Sunday, Aug. 23, at noon. The compilation mixes viral clips, animated shorts, cat-themed music videos and what organizers call "classic internet powerhouses," all assembled by Seattle filmmaker Will Braden.
Braden sifts through more than 15,000 cat clips each year to build the show. He told Page Six on Aug. 11 that the communal theater experience is what sets the festival apart: "They're like, 'I'm with my people.' They can have a whole bunch of laughs, and raise money. It's because the experience is unmatched."
The festival is no niche curiosity. Distributed by Oscilloscope Laboratories, the indie film company co-founded by the late Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch, CatVideoFest 2026 opened Aug. 7 on more than 330 screens nationwide, according to Deadline. It earned $568,414 in its first weekend, landing at No. 10 at the domestic box office, and had grossed nearly $800,000 through its second weekend. The 2024 and 2025 editions each topped $1 million domestically. Braden promoted the film on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2026, and it caught the attention of Andy Cohen.
The local beneficiary
The charitable model works like this: each participating theater partners with a nearby cat-focused organization rather than sending proceeds to a single national group. At Coral Gables Art Cinema, that partner is The Cat Network.
Founded in 1995, The Cat Network operates without a traditional shelter. Its cats live in foster homes, and adoptions run through its Adoption Referral Program. The organization's website lists cumulative figures of 122,000 cats spayed or neutered and 24,000 cats fostered and adopted, with a volunteer network of more than 2,500 people across South Florida. The group advocates for trap-neuter-return as a non-lethal alternative to euthanasia.
The exact percentage of ticket proceeds going to The Cat Network has not been disclosed for the Coral Gables screenings.
The venue
Coral Gables Art Cinema, at 260 Aragon Ave., is the city-owned nonprofit cinema specializing in independent, foreign and cult-classic films. The City Commission voted unanimously in May 2026 to approve an additional $100,000 for the cinema's planned expansion, bringing the city's total commitment to $450,000 for a second 90-seat auditorium at 240 Aragon Ave.
The film is unrated but described by the cinema as appropriate for all ages. Tickets are available at gablescinema.com.
Coming up
- Friday, Aug. 21, 3 p.m. — CatVideoFest 2026, Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Ave.
- Saturday, Aug. 22, noon — CatVideoFest 2026, Coral Gables Art Cinema
- Sunday, Aug. 23, noon — CatVideoFest 2026, Coral Gables Art Cinema
