One has to wonder if it is possible to dislike a film centred around penguins? Must we always be seduced by their tuxedo-like looks and charmed by their waddling walks — whether they are presented to us in animated form or flesh and blood?

It's certainly not possible to dislike 'City Slickers', a South African documentary about the colony of some 4,000 African penguins that have taken up residence at Boulders Beach outside Cape Town — to the delight of some neighbours and annoyance of others.

The documentary follows two of Boulder's penguins — Henry and Margot — as they fall in love, become parents and navigate the intersecting worlds of humans and penguins in South African suburbia.

This fun-loving 52-minute documentary is screening as part of BIFF's Kids sidebar of films and has been suggested for youngsters ages six and up. It is educational but light — with enough penguin hijinks to keep kids interested.

Henry and Margot's adventures are narrated by Graham Merrill along with many educational tidbits about the plight of penguins worldwide.

Filmmaker Trevor De Kock undertook a three-year project to film 'City Slickers' using a variety of techniques to capture penguin life including underwater photography, remote controlled cameras and neighbourhood security cameras.

The City Slickers seem to have adapted to their unusual home and the colony has thrived there. But as the narrator notes, many who loved the birds when the colony was small are now finding the noise, smell and traffic nuisances created by them a little trying. The film's title characters are seen dodging cars — some of which seem to chase them — scooting under fences and setting up home under hot tubs.

The penguins still face very real challenges to their livelihood: from heat and exposure at their beach home, from determined predators and from man's often careless nature.

But City Slickers also offers and environmentally hopeful message. When the penguins are threatened by a massive oil slick off Cape Town, one of the largest rescues of seabirds ever was undertaken.

Twenty thousand African penguins — and Henry was among them — were rescued, temporarily relocated, cared for and cleaned after being caught up in the oil which would otherwise have been deadly to them.

It is highly inspiring to see the way volunteers worked together to overcome the environmental tragedy and the penguins are eventually returned to their Boulder's Beach home to the cheers of their neighbours.

Both adults and children should enjoy this engaging documentary.

** City Slickers will be screened tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Liberty Theatre.