Kangaroo secures 8 AACTA Award Nominations as its tops Aussie box office

Feature film Kangaroo, the debut local production from StudioCanal’s Cultivator Films and produced in partnership with Bunya Productions and Brindle Films has received eight nominations at the upcoming AACTA Awards.

Stage23 worked as the VFX partner on Kangaroo with Stage23 co-founder Jonathan Hairman serving as VFX Supervisor on the film.  

The initial nominations include: Best Film David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, Angela Littlejohn, Rachel Clements, Trisha Morton-Thomas, Cultivator Films Australia; Best Direction in Film for Kate Woods; Best Lead Actress in Film for newcomer Lily Whiteley; Best Lead Actor in Film for Ryan Corr; Best Supporting Actress for both Deborah Mailman and Brooke Satchwell; Best Casting for Anousha Zarkesh and Best Soundtrack for Jemma Burns.
The AACTA awards will be held on February 4 on the Gold Coast as part of the week long AACTA Festival https://www.aactafestival.com/2026-program. 

The film which was released nationally in September has already attained the status of highest grossing film of 2025 at the Australian Box Office. Globally Kangaroo has been launched progressively across Germany, New Zealand, the Gulf States and selected European markets and will be premiering on January 30 in the UK in a significant launch with Tourism NT. 

Kangaroo was created with the support of Screen Territory, Screen NSW Made in NSW Fund and Screen Australia.

Filmed across spectacular locations in Alice Springs, on Arrernte Country, and featuring Sydney’s Bondi Beach on the traditional land 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 and tells the tale of his destined path that leads to the protection of Australia’s sacred and iconic marsupials, the Kangaroo.

Film Stills from Studio Canal