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Starring Russell Crowe (GLADIATOR, A BEAUTIFUL MIND) and Olga Kurylenko (OBLIVION, QUANTUM OF SOLACE), THE WATER DIVINER is an epic adventure set four years after the devastating battle of Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. Australian farmer Connor (Crowe) travels to Istanbul to discover the fate of his sons, reported missing in the action, where he forges a relationship with the beautiful Turkish woman (Kurylenko) who owns the hotel in which he stays. Holding on to hope, and with the help of a Turkish Officer, Connor embarks on a journey across the country to find the truth about the fate of his sons. THE WATER DIVINER is an extraordinary tale of love, hope and heroism.
- news.com.au
- 01 Oct 2014
- Entertainment
Star act ... Russell Crowe in The Water Diviner. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
AUSTRALIAN screen drama production hit a record $837 million high this financial year thanks in no small part to locally-based Hollywood heavyweights Russell Crowe and director Alex Proyas, whose latest film is reported to have a $150 million budget.
Led by Crowe’s directorial debut, Gallipoli drama The Water Diviner, and Proyas’s blockbuster action fantasy Gods of Egypt, expenditure on domestic feature film production totalled $297 million in 2013/14, an 18 per cent increase on the previous year and the best result since 2008/9.
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High expectations ... Crowe and Ryan Corr in The Water Diviner. Picture: Mark Rogers Source: Supplied
“It’s wonderful to be able to draw internationally successful Australian talent together to work on a great project back home,’’ said the production team behind The Water Diviner, Andrew Mason, Keith Rodger and Troy Lum.
Crowe’s historical drama, about a father who goes in search of his three missing sons, opens on Boxing Day.
Australian features contributed 35 per cent of the overall production expenditure, according to Screen Australia’s 2013/14 Drama Report.
“It has been a solid year for local features recording the strongest result in five years,’’ said Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason.
Location, location, location ... Jolie on the set of Unbroken in Sydney. Picture: John Grainger. Source: News Limited
Foreign production accounted for 24 per cent of the overall tally, driven by Angelina Jolie’s WWII film Unbroken, which has its world premiere in Sydney on Monday, November 17, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s disaster flick San Andreas, which was filmed on the Gold Coast.
Foreign feature film investment was up 59 per cent on the previous year and double the five-year average.
“While local content is still the main game and the bedrock of our industry, we’ve seen a boost in total production with top-profile talent such as Angelina Jolie choosing our shores and crews to make their films,’’ said Mason.
Up close and personal ... a scene from Unbroken. Picture: Universal Pictures Source: Supplied
While TV drama production was down 8 per cent, to $343 million, it still accounted for 41 per cent of the total expenditure.
“This year’s slate showcases some ambitious new programs like The Code and Banished and returning seasons of favourites Mako Mermaids and Love Child which continue to feed Australia’s appetite for high-quality TV drama,’’ said Mason.
“This year we’re also seeing the centenary of World War 1 honoured on screen with ANZAC Girls for the ABC, Nine’s Gallipoli and Foxtel’s Deadline Gallipoli.”
