⏱23 minutes|🎬Short Narrative|🚩UK, Hungary, Iran|🖺 Drama|🎞Color
LOGLINE
The last thing he needed was her. The last thing she wanted was him. Until the phone rang.
SYNOPSIS
When I Killed The Cat explores the depth of perception through Jim, a different kind of thinker and unusual perceiver. It reveals the layered nature of the human condition, uncovering its complexity and ambiguity. Psychological and cognitive dimensions are central to the visual narrative, unfolding through Jim’s mental state and exposing a raw vulnerability that continuously evolves over time.
We are introduced to a man haunted by his shadows and traumas, still deeply attached to his memories. Gradually, we come to understand the source of his fear, as well as his inner voice, embodied through an ambiguous mother figure. Everything unfolds rapidly when Jim’s friend asks him to take care of her cat. But is it really just a cat? Is it really just a friend?
The tragedy of a fractured perspective emerges through every dialogue and gesture. It reveals that, at times, when buried memories resurface, everything else begins to feel equally unstable.
Director's Statement
Our interaction with the world is not based on reality as it objectively exists, but on our psychological and cognitive characteristics. These shape how reality is perceived, meaning that each individual experiences the world differently. The more trauma and psychological difficulty a person encounters, the more fragmented their relationship with the world becomes, often leading to misunderstanding.
In this sense, our experience of reality is not direct, but mediated through interpretation. This is why the same situation can be perceived as joyful by one person and painful by another.
In the short film When I Killed the Cat, the main character undergoes a tragic process in which he decides to commit suicide. Yet, within his own perception, this act becomes a moment of relief and even joy. The contradiction between his “death” and his sense of “liberation” reflects his distorted understanding of reality and his mental condition.
This condition is rooted in the influence of an unstable maternal figure, whose behavior has shaped his perception of the world. The narrative structure of the film is designed to place the audience within Jim’s perspective, allowing them to experience the world as he does—sharing in both his joys and his suffering.
CAST
Peter Schueller as Jim
Lili Walters as Katrine
Altay Lawrence as Edward
Our Story
Filmed in August in Hungary, the project was produced by Bart Film and co-produced by Mythberg Films, marking a distinctive collaboration within the company’s portfolio.
This partnership made it possible to fully develop the film’s creative potential. Supported by a strong working environment and an experienced team, the production benefited from a shared commitment to realizing the project at a high level.
When I Killed The Cat was developed with the involvement of industry professionals who have contributed to major Hollywood films and internationally recognized television productions. The film also relied on key collaborations and professional support, including Arri Rental as the main sponsor.
The project brought together an experienced creative team, including composer David Pavlovits and cinematographer Marcell Ragaly.
Peter Schueller was selected as the lead actor from the outset, becoming the primary and definitive casting choice upon the producer’s first reading of the script.
Additional elements, such as the voice recordings of Jim’s mother, were developed during post-production in collaboration with a performer based in the UK.
What began as a small-scale project quickly expanded into a more complex production.
The process evolved to include technical equipment, large-scale set operations, a stunt sequence, and extensive visual effects work. International in scope and open in its approach, When I Killed The Cat brought together collaborators from diverse cultural backgrounds, reflecting a borderless and collective mode of production. The production brought together diverse cultural backgrounds throughout its development.
While filming and editing took place in Budapest, sound post-production was completed in Bristol by dBs, and visual effects were carried out across China and Canada.
Due to the pandemic context and the possibilities offered by new technologies, the producer, Anna Botka, returned to the UK immediately after production, and the entire post-production process was conducted remotely.
This approach allowed the film to adapt to challenging circumstances while continuing to develop successfully.
Despite the difficulties, this mode of collaboration also strengthened the human connection within the team, introducing new ways of working that expanded both the production process and its collaborative dynamics.
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