Big screen adaptation of iconic Kiwi dog show coming soon
For those who grew up with the whistle of a shepherd and the shuffle of a determined collie on a Sunday evening, the project arrives steeped in nostalgia.
Filming is now underway on the big-screen reimagining of one of Aotearoa’s most beloved television shows, A Dog’s Show.
Directed by Alex Galvin, the film centres on a retired sheepdog triallist, played by Graham McTavish (Outlander, The Hobbit), who is coaxed back into competition by his spirited granddaughter. Together with their loyal dogs, they take on one final trial to save the family farm
The spark for the film came from Galvin himself, who recalls watching A Dog’s Show every Sunday night as a child, gathered around the television with his family.
Scottish actor Graham McTavish
Image Press Agency / NurPhoto via AFP
Set in 1970s rural New Zealand, the film leans into more than just nostalgia, says producer Mark Westerby.
Westerby describes it as a story threaded with themes of redemption and resilience, the shifting landscape of rural identity, and the unmistakable relationship between human and dog that the original series celebrated for decades.
"At its heart, it's a beautiful family story," he told Afternoons. "It’s a heart punch story."
The production has been busy capturing the grit and glory of sheepdog trials in Wellington and the Wairarapa, working closely with New Zealand's top handlers to choreograph competition sequences.
"Even though we only had two channels back then, this was one of those shows that just got people glued to the screen," Westerby says.
"There was just so much tension going on between dog, sheep, farmer."
A Dog Show like you've never seen it before!
Another essential ingredient was host John Gordon, whose humour and wit helped define A Dog's Show. Westerby says Gordon offered Galvin insight into how the show was made.
The signature theme song and monotone delivery by farmers have also found their way into the film's script, he says.
Though deeply Kiwi, Westerby believes the film’s appeal will stretch beyond local borders.
"Sometimes [by] actually focusing on something that's very Kiwi, very iconic, [it] can radiate outside of our country overseas. And of course, a lot of the themes are very universal as well."
A Dog's Show is scheduled to hit cinemas in late 2026.
