Studiocanal’s Kangaroo dominates awards season after record-breaking box office success

Studiocanal’s debut Australian feature film Kangaroo has scored eight AACTA nominations after becoming the highest grossing local movie, earning $5.2 million at the box office.

Studiocanal’s first Australian made feature film Kangaroo, which was shot in the Northern Territory, is bounding in to next February’s Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA) with eight nominations.

Receiving nominations for best film, best direction in film, best casting and best soundtrack, it was also nominated for best lead actor in film for Lily Whiteley, best lead actor in film for Ryan Corr, best supporting actor for Deborah Mailman and Brooke Satchwell.

The film was released nationally in September and is the highest grossing Australian film this year earning over $5.2 million at the box office.

Elizabeth Trotman, chief executive of Studiocanal Australia and New Zealand, said they were incredibly honoured to see Kangaroo recognised by the AACTA awards.

“This film represents the creativity, courage and depth of talent in Australian storytelling, both in front of and behind the camera,” she said.

A heartwarming family comedy about an ex TV personality, Chris Masterman, who becomes stranded in an outback town outside of Alice Springs before forming an unlikely friendship with 12-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie, with the pair working together to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys.

The feature is based on the true story of Chris ‘Brogla’ Barns, founder of The Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs.

Set and filmed on location in Alice Springs and Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, it marks the first feature film from the Australian production arm of Studiocanal partnership with Bunya Productions and Alice Springs-based Brindle Films.

“We congratulate our filmmakers, cast, and creative teams for their remarkable achievement and thank AACA for this recognition,” Trotman said.

Throughout the course of filming, the production supported 150 Territory jobs and engaged nearly 100 businesses, with The Northern Territory Government investing $900,000 in the production.

Kangaroo is showing in selected cinemas and available to stream on selected platforms like Apple, Foxtel and YouTube.

Originally published as Studiocanal’s Kangaroo dominates awards season after record-breaking box office success