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Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired North American rights to Ceyda Torun’s “Kedi,” a documentary about the street cats of Istanbul.

Oscilloscope will release the film theatrically in early 2017, following a festival run throughout the fall.

“Kedi” was produced by Torun and Charlie Wuppermann through their production company Termite Films. The film was executive produced by Thomas Podstawski.

The documentary explores the hundreds of thousands of cats roaming the metropolis of Istanbul freely — a tradition that dates back thousands of years. Claiming no owners, these animals live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame.

O-Scope’s Dan Berger said, “I’m definitely more of a dog person than a cat person, but I’ll be damned if the subjects of ‘Kedi’ didn’t just charm the shit out of me.”

Torun said on the “Kedi” web site, “I grew up in Istanbul and I believe my childhood was infinitely less lonesome than it would have been if it werenʼt for cats — and I wouldnʼt be the person I am today. They were my friends and confidants and I missed their presence in all the other cities I ever lived in. This film is, in many ways, a love letter to those cats and the city, both of which are changing in ways that are unpredictable.”

Watch the trailer for “Kedi” below: