Kate Woods’ family comedy Kangaroo stars Ryan Corr as ex-TV personality Chris Masterman, who becomes stranded in an Outback town after a car accident on his way to Broome. There, he teams up with 11-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie (Lily Whiteley). The pair form an unlikely friendship and work together to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys in the remote but stunning Outback community. An endeavour that proves to be life-changing for them both.
Corr and Whiteley lead a bumper Australian cast that includes Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Trisha Morton-Thomas, Rachel House, Brooke Satchwell, Ernie Dingo, Genevieve Lemon, Clarence Ryan, Rarriwuy Hick, Rick Donald, Emily Taheny, Bondi Lifeguard Ryan Clark, and Australian TV presenter Grant Denyer. A troop of kangaroo joeys, currently in the care of the Alice Springs Kangaroo Sanctuary, will also make their feature film debut.
Set and filmed on location in Alice Springs, on Arrernte Country, where the real Kangaroo Sanctuary is based, the production will also shoot at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on the traditional land and waters of the Bidjigal, Birrabirragal and Gadigal Peoples.
The first project to be produced under Studiocanal’s local production arm, Cultivator Films Australia, Kangaroo is written by Harry Cripps with additional writing from Melina Marchetta, and further material from Danielle MacLean and Peta-Lee ColeManolis.
Bunya Productions’ David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin produce alongside Rachel Clements and Morton-Thomas, of Brindle Films, with Louise Smith and Marian Macgowan executive producers alongside Studiocanal’s Anna Marsh, Ron Halpern, Elizabeth Trotman, and Marcus Gillezeau.
Rounding out the creative team are DOP Kieran Fowler, production designer Sam Hobbs, costume designer Edie Kurzer, editor Chris Plummer, and casting director Anousha Zarkesh. Warren H Williams is cultural liaison and also a cultural advisor along with Benedict Stevens and Marie Ellis.
Kangaroo will be released in cinemas next year.