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“Due to its historical importance The Gallipoli Campaign has been the focus of many successful documentary films from many different countries in the past. Most of these films have focused on a particular side of the campaign and told the story through the perspective of one or two countries. But, in order to truly capture the spirit of the campaign and the experience of the soldiers, the filmmakers behind GALLIPOLI decided to tell the story simultaneously from the perspective of all sides and tried to capture the human dimension within the general structure of the campaign.
[World War One] itself is the only enemy in this film. The Gallipoli Campaign is told through the diaries and letters of 2 British, 3 New Zealand, 3 Australian and 2 Turkish soldiers. The documentary aims to portray the historical importance of Gallipoli based on facts and from the perspectives of these soldiers who are representative of the thousands of soldiers from both sides. It is their common experience and it is their story.” (GALLIPOLI Press Kit)
“[GALLIPOLI] is unique in that it brings forward the ongoing personal records of participants from all sides of the conflict in a deeply humane and respectful manner. A six-year effort in the making, the photographs, diaries and letters of three Australians, two Britons, three New Zealanders and two Turkish soldiers are presented from the beginning of the campaign to its end. Interspersed with commentaries by war historians and re-enactments of shell-fire battles, trench-warfare and beach onslaughts, there is a wealth of grainy, black and white archival footage of the landings and the troops on both the Allies’ and the Turkish side...
GALLIPOLI was the highest grossing film in Turkish history and was the number one film in Turkey for five weeks when it was released there on March 18th 2005, on the 90th anniversary of the Campaign....
The particular power of this documentary is in its contrasting the devastatingly personal experiences of ordinary, decent soldiers on both sides, simply doing their duty, with the apparent arrogance and ignorance of distant war leaders who regard their men as cannon-fodder. The Gallipoli Campaign was “a costly mistake”. 120,000 died and nothing was gained.” Avril Carruthers, www.infilm.com.au, 11/05/2007
Interviews: Robin Prior, Christopher Pugsley, Ashley Ekins, Nigel Steel, Gūrsel Goncū, Les Carlyon.