Director’s Statement
“Do you think there’s an afterlife?” my dad asked. Earlier that day, we had buried our family cat, Cricket. My father was looking for reassurance, and I wasn’t sure how to give it. He was thinking about the cat—but he was also thinking about himself.
“I hope so... I hope Cricket’s in heaven,” I said.
Growing up, I only saw my dad cry once—and it was when we were burying a cat. To me, he was always this strong, stoic figure. He grew up blue-collar in Pennsylvania and got into fights protecting his three sisters. Most of our conversations were about football. We loved the Philadelphia Eagles.
After Cricket died, we still talked about sports—but it felt like a way to avoid something deeper: the pain of losing his little companion, and the fear of his own mortality.
That moment was the seed for my film Cat Thieves.
The film explores how men process grief, and the ways masculinity can shape—and sometimes suppress—emotional expression. My dad’s sadness, and his quiet struggle to express it, revealed a vulnerability that I wanted to examine more closely.
Our Team
Writer/Director - John Shutika
John Shutika is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and calls his dad most weeks for Eagles games.
He studied Cinema and Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. His short film "Your Eternal Savior" won “Best Dark Comedy” at the Georgia Shorts Film Festival.
Cinematographer - James Michael Douglas
James Michael Douglas is an Hispanic cinematographer and student of the American Society of Cinematographer's Vision Mentorship program.
James has a long-time background in photojournalism and focuses on character-oriented stories to give a voice to unique and overlooked persons in an effort to explore personal philosophy and better understand those around him.
Producer - Ben Corfield
Ben Corfield is a Producer, UPM, and Assistant Director based in Richmond, Virginia. Some of his credits include The Suprise Visit (Amazon Prime), Griffin in Summer (Tribeca Best US Feature 2024), and Bird in Hand (Tribecca 2025).
Producer - Will T James
Will T James is an independent filmmaker and published fiction writer. He currently lives in Richmond, VA, working nights to support his cat as well as his dream of reaching a wider audience with character-driven stories in fiction and on-screen.
Mr. Pebbles
Mr. Pebbles is a good boy. He loves wet food and treats. Cat Thieves is his debut performance and he did very good. He is an excellent Cat/Actor (Ca-ctor).