PREMIERES TUESDAY 6 MAY AT 8.00PM ON ABC1

RARE CHICKEN RESCUE

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. He begins an epic “chicken chase” fuelled by a determination to find “lost” breeds of poultry before they are gone forever.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1350 domestic mammal and bird breeds face extinction. In Australia, chicken species such as the Sumatran, the Phoenix, the Transylvanian Naked Neck, the Spanish, the Azeel and even the humble Leghorn are just some of the breeds under threat.

One of Australia’s many “poultry fanciers”, Tully embarks on a “chicken chase” that covers 10,000 kilometres and spans five Australian states as he tracks down rare heritage breeds and meets others who share his passion.

The journey takes Tully south from his rare poultry stud in Queensland through New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and across Bass Strait to Tasmania, to the annual show of the Devonport Poultry Club.

While Tully spends his days rescuing poultry, he reveals that the unconditional love of his large collection of turkeys, chooks and other birds—and the serenity he finds in their company—has helped save his own life after a long battle with mental illness.

A Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Freshwater Productions. Produced in association with the Pacific Film and Television Commission and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Click to see production stills

More about Rare Chicken Rescue

See our other showcases

Executive Producers

Trish Lake (Freshwater Productions)

Mark Hamlyn (Film Australia)

Producer

Vickie Gest

Director

Randall Wood

Writer

Randall Wood

Classification

Yet to be classified

Duration

26 minutes

Press Kit

Rare Chicken Rescue Press Kit

For Teachers

Rare Chicken Rescue Teachers Notes

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

"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

"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

"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

"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