The Water Diviner: 'Very real' Turkish perspective of Gallipoli in Russell Crowe's film shocked actor Yilmaz Erdogan

By Philippa Hawker
Updated December 19 2014 - 2:18pm, first published 1:08pm
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.
Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) in a scene from <i>The Water Diviner<i>.

Yilmaz Erdogan knows his way around a film set – he's a Turkish actor, writer and director with years of experience. But when he talks about his latest film, The Water Diviner, he is keen to emphasise how much of it was a first for him. "My first time speaking English in a film. My first time in a film with that kind of budget. My biggest production. First time with guys who have Academy Awards" – a reference to the movie's director and star, Russell Crowe, and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie.