You'd be excused for thinking a documentary about competitive chicken breeding in New Zealand could be either a little dry or a touch wacky.
Turns out, it's a rather delightful way to pass the time.
Pecking Order introduces members of the Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club, as they prepare for the NZ National Show held in Oamaru. The story itself is relatively straightforward; but the charming and colourful stars - and I'm talking about the breeders, not the chickens - are wonderfully quirky.
I don't think they'd mind me saying so. They're like anyone who loves their hobby; passionate, obsessive and competitive, and their dedication is admirable.
At first Pecking Order treads a fine line between documentary and mockumentary, and it was hard to tell if the laughter in the theatre was coming from a good place. But as the story settles, director Slavko Martinov does a lovely job revealing the characters with respect and dignity, and you find yourself wishing them well and seeing chicken shows as perfectly everyday.
