Kangaroo secures Best Feature Film at 24 th Annual SPA Awards
Screen Producers Australia has named Kangaroo the Feature Film Production of the Year in
the 24 th Annual SPA Awards held of the final night of Screen Forever 40, this week hosted on
the Gold Coast.
The Stage23 team share their pride in the industry acknowledgment with the mighty
Kangaroo coproduction team of Studio Canal, Brindle Films and Bunya Productions.
Stage23 provided the seamless special effects with Jonathan Hairman serving as
Kangaroo’s VFX Supervisor. The film was shot across the Northern Territory and directed by
Kate Woods.
“At a time of continued change across the global screen industry, Australian producers
continue to demonstrate extraordinary creativity, resilience and ambition. The work
recognised tonight reflects not only outstanding storytelling, but the strength of the
businesses behind it,” said SPA chief executive Matthew Deaner.
The film launched in Australia in September 2025 and was the highest grossing film of 2025
at the Australian Box Office. Since then, Kangaroo has been launched internationally
progressively across Germany, where it was the highest grossing Australian film in 25 years,
New Zealand, the Gulf States and selected European markets. Kangaroo premiered across
the UK and Ireland in January debuted at number 12 on its opening weekend.
In February, Kangaroo attracted eight AACTA nominations, with Deborah Mailman wing Best
Supporting Actress.
Speaking on the making of Kangaroo at an AACTA panel in February, director Kate Woods
said she was lured back to Australia to work on the project on the strength of the story, its
vision and its soul.
“I was so blown away. I loved the story from the start. I remember when I read that opening
scene with Charlie running, I was hooked. You know, it's like it told me that this film had a
soul. I could see it straight away, you know. And it's been an incredible opportunity
particularly filming in that area, filming the cooperation of the traditional owners of the land,
with an Aboriginal cast.”
Woods added,“working with CG was fabulous because Jonathan was there. We made sure
that we had storyboarded everything before hand and we knew exactly what we wanted.”
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