Michael Caton, Stephen Peacocke, Martin Sacks and Aswan Reid round out the cast of Kiah Roache-Turner’s new feature, now filming in Byron Bay.

Production has commenced in Byron Bay on Chiquita, a new Australian family adventure starring Alyla Browne, Elsa Pataky, Michael Caton, Stephen Peacocke, Martin Sacks and Aswan Reid.

Written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner from a story by Mark Morrissey, the film is set against the Australian landscape and the rarely explored world of endurance horse riding. Umbrella will release Chiquita in Australia during the 2027 summer school holiday period.

Browne, whose credits include Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Sting, plays a rebellious teenage girl who forms an unexpected bond with a mistreated rescue horse. Both outsiders at a pivotal point in their lives, the pair find connection and purpose in one another.

She leads an ensemble featuring Fast & Furious franchise star Pataky, who also appeared in Furiosa and Interceptor; The Castle and Last Cab to Darwin actor Caton; The Newsreader and Five Bedrooms star Peacocke; Wentworth actor Sacks; and rising Australian performer Reid, whose credits include The New Boy and Beast of War.

Roache-Turner said the emotional relationship between the film’s central characters provided the heart of its large-scale adventure.

“What I love about Chiquita is that underneath this big, cinematic adventure is a really simple relationship between a girl and a horse,” the filmmaker said. “They’re both outsiders, they’re both pretty wild, and neither of them has much interest in doing what they’re told. Somehow they find each other.

“That gives us the heart of the movie, and then we get to surround it with galloping horses, endurance racing and these huge Australian landscapes. It’s a proper big-screen family film with real scale.”

The feature is produced by Blake Northfield and Michelle Krumm for Bronte Studios and Morrissey for First Option Pictures. Northfield and Krumm said the combination of an emotional family story, internationally recognised cast and distinctive Australian setting gave Chiquita the potential to connect with audiences around the world.

“From the beginning, we saw Chiquita as an Australian story with the ability to travel,” the producers said. “It has all the ingredients of a great family adventure, with an extraordinary young protagonist, humour, heart, horses and a spectacular landscape. But underneath that is a deeply relatable story about grief, family and finding where you belong.”

Morrissey said the project began with the extraordinary degree of trust required between a horse and rider competing in endurance events.

“We wanted to build a contemporary Australian story around that relationship — one with real stakes, humour and complicated family dynamics,” he said. “Kiah has taken that idea and given it tremendous energy and scale, and we’ve been fortunate to assemble a cast that can bring both the emotion and the humour of the story to life.”

Screen Australia director of narrative content Louise Gough described Chiquita as a spirited and uplifting film exploring resilience, connection and self-discovery.

“With its stunning Australian landscape and the power of connection between a young girl and her horse, it is a heartfelt story with the universal appeal to resonate with audiences both locally and internationally,” Gough said.

Roache-Turner is joined by director of photography Jonathan Baker, first assistant director Jamie Crooks, production designer Tylah Pratt, costume designer Tracey Rose, hair and makeup designer Nele Pandis and editor Gabriella Muir. Sandra Tahmasby Baxter serves as head of production for Bronte Studios.

Chiquita is a Chiquita Productions production, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW. Umbrella will distribute the film locally, with international sales handled by Essential Film Group. Additional financing comes from Obsidian Creek Capital.