The Queensland premiere of The Water Diviner was introduced not by director and star Russell Crowe – Brisbane is no Sydney, after all – but by Des Power, an Order of Australia member peripherally tied to proceedings via his role as creative director of the Gallipoli Chamber Orchestra. In sombre tones, he told the audience that “[the Battle of] Gallipoli is where Australia earned its stripes as a nation.” We Australians are accustomed to the brand of rhetoric that suggests we’re not a ‘proper nation’ until we’ve sacrificed our young men’s lives for Mother Britain. I admit that I fully expected to see a similar celebration of Australia’s military history in the subsequent screening.
Instead, The Water Diviner is an all-out assault on the Gallipoli myth, as intimated by Crowe on national media in the lead-up to the movie’s release.
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Read your review and thought it well done. Seemed like the balance between Turkey and Australia histories was rightfully done while the ending poorly written. Good for Russell Crowe for his first attempt behind the camera.
Thanks Cindy. I do think Rusty’s better in front of the camera than behind it, but he certainly didn’t embarrass himself.