Pecking Order

Pecking Order is a beautiful and convivial New Zealand documentary that finds charm and heart in the most unlikely of places - a club dedicated to the raising, breeding, and exhibiting of poultry. This entertaining showcase from 2017, starring Doug Bain, Sarah Bunton, and Bob Dawber, puts a spotlight on a world seldom seen by the broader public. A world where chickens are not merely a source of food but a source of prestige, community, and competition.

The movie's Director, Slavko Martinov, delves into this eccentric, yet endearing rivalry taking place within an already niche community, displaying a heartwarming tale that is both funny and at times absurd. It follows the fierce competition and petty squabbles amongst a group of hard-core enthusiasts who are just as colorful, diverse, and eccentric as the birds they so devotedly rear.

Our protagonists, Doug Bain, Sarah Bunton, and Bob Dawber, all members of the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon, and Bantam Club, are followed in the lead-up to New Zealand's National Poultry Show - the annual culmination of this peculiar hobby. Through their stories, it becomes apparent that the competition isn't just about the birds, but their keepers as well, and what winning the contest would mean to them. From the seasoned veterens to the up-and-coming newbies, each character is presented in all their uniqueness, with their personal lives, aspirations, challenges, and accomplishments playing out on screen as much as the competition.

Pecking Order boasts beautifully shot imagery, presenting the birds that are central to the story with a distinct aesthetic charm. Yet, the true magic lies not in the cinematography, but in the cast of true-life characters and their wonderfully quirky personality traits. These include the club's cocksure veteran and multiple championship winner Doug Bain, the ambitious newbie Sarah Bunton, who is determined to challenge the established order, and gregarious president Bob Dawber, stuck in the middle of the chaos, trying to keep the club from imploding, while eager to win himself.

As expected in a group with such diverse and robust personalities, there are tensions, backstabbing, and power struggles, much like the title's "pecking order" would suggest. They, hilariously at times, echo the natural social hierarchy that exists among poultry. The clubhouse politics and drama that unfold as they prepare for the big event are at once jocular and suspenseful.

In addition to the compelling personal stories that make up the main narrative, Pecking Order offers a rare glimpse of this niche culture, lifting the lid on an ancient hobby, which has become a passion and pseudo science for its practitioners. From the specificities of breeding to the intricacies of showcasing, the film thoroughly introduces the audiences to the artistry, devotion, and meticulousness involved in poultry culture. It elegantly elevates the seemingly mundane world of poultry raising to a level of believability that is both refreshing and infectious.

In essence, Pecking Order is a wonderfully surprising documentary that finds humor and drama within the least expected milieu. On one hand, it's about preparing chickens for beauty pageants. On the other, it's about the group of people who pour their hearts and souls into an activity that may seem trivial to others. The result is a delightful dive into a world of intrigue that you never knew existed, a whirlwind of feathers, wholly unique, deeply human and undeniably captivating.

It's a story of competition, of personal trials, of community, and most importantly, it invites us to cheer on our own favorites in the countdown to the national championships. Throughout the narrative's twists and turns, the film reminds us that passion can take many forms and that even in the world of competition, camaraderie and friendship rule supreme.

Pecking Order is an absolute gem of Kiwi film-making - showcasing a heartwarming and unconventional subject, delightfully packed with humor and warmth in all the right ways. It will leave you wanting to hear more fowl tales from their enchanting world.