“KANGAROO” has become the highest-grossing Australian film at the local box office for 2025.
The heart-warming family comedy follows ex-TV personality, Chris Masterman, played by Ryan Corr, who becomes stranded in an Outback town outside Alice Springs. There, he teams up with 12-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie, played by 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.
The cast also features Deborah Mailman, Rachel House, Brooke Satchwell, Wayne Blair, Ernie Dingo, and more.
Following its premiere in September and overwhelmingly positive word of mouth, “KANGAROO” has taken in more than $5.2 million at the Australian box office, making it the year’s biggest local success story and cementing its place among the most beloved Australian films of recent years.
It was set and filmed on location in Alice Springs, on Arrernte Country, as well as Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on the traditional lands and waters of the Bidjigal, Birrabirragal and Gadigal Peoples. “KANGAROO” is inspired by the life of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, founder of The Kangaroo Sanctuary, Alice Springs.
“KANGAROO” marked the first feature film from the Australian production arm of STUDIOCANAL, produced in partnership with Bunya Productions and Brindle Films.
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CEO of STUDIOCANAL Australia and New Zealand, Elizabeth Trotman, said: “We are beyond thrilled to see audiences embrace KANGAROO the way they have. It’s a story that celebrates compassion, connection, and the beauty of our country, and we’re incredibly proud of what it has achieved.
“Seeing ‘KANGAROO’ find a home in so many hearts across the country and the world has been an extraordinary achievement for everyone involved.”
The film was made with the support of Screen Territory, Screen NSW Made in NSW Fund and Screen Australia.