| Director: | Timothy David |
| Producer: | Timothy David Peter Hanlon Bettina Hamilton Daniel M. Rosenberg Leona Cichon |
| Studio: | Pouch Potato, Piro |
| Music: | Ariel Marx |
| Cinematography: | Ian McCarroll |
| Editing: | Jamie Rusiti |
| Distributor: | Maslow Entertainment (Australia & NZ) |
| Country: | Australia |
Kangaroo Island is a 2024 Australian drama/comedy film directed by Timothy David and written by Sally Gifford. Its name derives from Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where it was filmed. Its world premiere is at the Adelaide Film Festival on 3 November 2024.
Estranged daughter Lou, an actress whose career has not taken off in Hollywood, returns to her hometown on Kangaroo island, upon request by her father. Lou and her sister Freya, who is religious, have a complicated past relationship. They try to repair their differences and make peace for the sake of their father, but another family secret is revealed.
Kangaroo Island is the debut feature film of Timothy David,[1] also known as Tim Piper. He is best known for being co-founder and co-owner of the New York-based production company Piro, and being the creator of Dove's 2008 "Evolution" ad and the four-part webseries for Chipotle Mexican Grill about "Big Ag", called Farmed and Dangerous[2] Kangaroo Island is also the debut film for actress-turned-filmmaker Sally Gifford, who is Piper's wife. The couple have been based in New York for 20 years, but in 2016 bought a holiday house on Kangaroo Island.[1]
The film was originally titled Animal, referring to the observation of the characters as human animals: "It's such a beautiful film about the human animal and what makes it a different type of animal to other animals", said David. There is tragedy in the film, but also comedy, and it shows characters who are dealing with hardship.[3]
Filming took place on Kangaroo Island, including at Snelling Beach and Emu Bay.[1] It includes shots of some of its wildlife, including echidnas, kangaroos, koalas, goannas, great white sharks, seals, and dolphins.[3]
It is produced by Timothy David, Peter Hanlon, Bettina Hamilton, Daniel M. Rosenberg, and Leona Cichon, with Pouch Potato Productions Pty Ltd. Ian McCarroll is cinematographer and music is by Ariel Marx.
The film is partially funded by the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund and the South Australian Film Corporation.[4]
The film's world premiere is on the closing night of the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival, on 3 November 2024.[5] [6]