by FilmInk Staff
STUDIOCANAL’s celebrated Australian box‑office success, Kangaroo has been awarded Feature Film Production of the Year at the 24th Annual Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Awards, presented on the closing night of SCREEN FOREVER 40 on the Gold Coast.
One of the Australian screen industry’s highest honours, the award celebrates exceptional creative and commercial achievement by producers across film and television. Kangaroo stood out in a fiercely competitive field, recognised for its outstanding filmmaking, cultural impact and production excellence.
Produced by Bunya Productions, Brindle Films and STUDIOCANAL, and released by STUDIOCANAL Australia & New Zealand, the film marks a major milestone as the first feature film from STUDIOCANAL’s Australian production arm.
In 2025, STUDIOCANAL’s Kangaroo was the highest‑grossing Australian film at the local box office, cementing its place as both a critical and commercial success.
Elizabeth Trotman, CEO of STUDIOCANAL Australia & New Zealand, said: “We are incredibly proud to see Kangaroo recognised as Feature Film Production of the Year by Screen Producers Australia. This award is a testament to the extraordinary talent, vision and dedication of the producers and creatives who brought this film to life, and to the power of Australian stories on the world stage.”
Brindle Films producers Trisha Morton‑Thomas and Rachel Clements said: “We’re so excited that Kangaroo has won the leading Australian screen producing award. It’s a real honour, and we’re delighted that the film has been recognised so highly by the national screen industry.”
Bunya Productions’ David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin added: “Bunya Productions is thrilled that Kangaroo has been recognised at the SPA Awards. It’s a beautiful film with heart, humour and meaning, and we’re incredibly proud of what the team has achieved.”
The SPA Awards are widely regarded as the industry’s most prestigious celebration of producer achievement, honouring leadership, innovation and excellence across film, television and digital content.
Kangaroo is a heart‑warming family comedy following disgraced former TV personality Chris Masterman, who finds himself stranded in a remote Outback town near Alice Springs. There, an unexpected friendship forms with Charlie, a fearless 12‑year‑old Indigenous girl. Together, they set out to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys—an experience that transforms both of their lives.
The film was shot on location in Alice Springs on Arrernte Country, and on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, on the traditional lands and waters of the Bidjigal, Birrabirragal and Gadigal Peoples. Inspired by the life of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, founder of The Kangaroo Sanctuary Alice Springs, the film was made with the support of Screen Territory, Screen NSW Made in NSW Fund and Screen Australia.
