‘Cat Call’ review: Dir. Rozália Szeleczki [Raindance]

Also known at Cicaverzum in its native Hungarian language, Rozália Szeleczki’s Cat Call is one of the wildest romantic comedies in years. The story follows Fáni (Franciska Töröcsik), a young woman who has trouble finding romantic suitors. Her problems stem from her inability to stop imagining how her prospective partners will die, which is linked to her childhood trauma surrounding her father’s death. Then she meets Smoothie who quietens the images, and the pair embark on a romantic affair. Smoothie however, is not a man, but a tom cat, and his union with Fáni has her family concerned. 

Cat Call’s zany premise will no doubt turn heads, but Szeleczki’s film is far more than shock tactics. Although Fáni and Smoothie sound strange on paper, the pairing make sense within the narrative framework. Once the story is fully revealed, it becomes easy to understand why they have been brought together. Rather than being seedy or titillating, the whole film is whimsical, charming, and hilarious. For some reason, Fáni is able to hear what Smoothie is saying and Szelecki and co-writer Zsófia Kemény take great delight in dreaming up exactly how a highly sexed tom cat would seduce a lady. The result is a Pepe le Pew style charm offensive, which enforces the cartoonish nature of Cat Call. 

Szelecki’s film is part comedy, but the director is careful not to make the laughs at the expense of Fáni. Instead they take aim at the ludicrous events that begin to unfold, a highlight being Smoothie’s dreams of Gangsta Rap stardom. Whilst the kitty is excellent at dropping the bars, only the audience and Fáni can hear them. The viewer being privy to the same information that Fáni is, helps to align the audience to the cause. With them also able to hear the inner workings of Smoothie’s mind, they can understand exactly why Fáni becomes fascinated and fixated on the moggy. 

Bubbling away in the background is a potential romance with Smoothie’s owner, and Fáni’s strained relationship with her family, particularly around her deceased father. These elements help to ground the fairy tale elements of Cat Call and save it from becoming too avant garde for the average viewer. These other elements help grant Fáni independence from Smoothie, with the film working as rom-com and coming-of-age tale as she slowly starts to take charge of her destiny. The comedy and the pathos mix together beautifully to create a safe space for the stranger plot elements, ensuring that Cat Call is a film not easily shaken. 

Cat Call was reviewed at Raindance 2024.