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Rare Chicken Rescue

Documentary (2008) – ABC1
dir. Randall Wood | prod. Vicki Gest, Trish Lake | edit. Scott Walton
Freshwater Productions

  • AFI Award Winner, Best Sound in a Documentary (2008)
  • AFI Award nominee, Best Documentary Film (2008)
  • AFI Award nominee, Best Direction in a Documentary (2008)
  • AFI Award nominee, Best Editing in a Documentary (2008)
  • AFI Award nominee, Best Cinematography in a Documentary (2008)
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short – Slamdance Film Festival, Utah 2009
  • Dendy Award, Best Documentary (2008)
  • Best Short Documentary, Film Critics Circle of Australia (2009)
  • ATOM Awards nominee, Best Documentary Short form (2008)
  • ATOM Awards nominee, Best Documentary Human Story (2008)
  • Panda Award nominee, Wildscreen Film Festival (2008)
  • IF Awards nominee, Best Short Documentary (2008)
  • Official selection, 55th Sydney International Film Festival (2008)

After a long battle with depression, Queensland rare chicken breeder Mark Tully is now on a mission to protect the endangered chickens to which he owes his life.

Official Screen Australia Rare Chicken Rescue webpage
Watch the trailer

What the Critics Have Said…
“A beautiful, simple tale about one man’s love of rare-breed chickens and how that love redeemed him from chronic depression…. funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly moving.” Sunday Age, Melbourne. 4 May 2008

“With a whimsical style reminiscent of Errol Morris (The Fog of War) and Mark Lewis (Cane Toads), writer-director-cinematographer Randall Wood has laid a beauty.” Sydney Morning Herald. May 2008

“Half an hour just doesn’t do justice to this unseen world, and the soul-mending solace this young man found clucking within it.” The Age, Melbourne. 1 May 2008

“Every now and then, a show comes along that has a much bigger punch than you could possibly anticipate, and tonight that honour goes to this little gem.” TV Week. 6 May 2008

“It’s difficult to imagine a documentary on rare chickens making for enthralling viewing, but it’s not hard to get sucked into this one….” Herald Sun, Melbourne. May 2008