Gallipoli is a beautifully crafted feature-length documentary that is as epic as it is intimate, dramatizing the motivations, tactics and sacrifices that made up one of the greatest battles of the First World War.
In 1915, British and French forces set out along the Ottoman Empire’s Gallipoli peninsula to seize a vital sea route from the Turks. It’s a more challenging proposition than they imagined. At first, they thought they could intimidate the Turks into surrender by the sheer threat of their impressive fleet of battleships. When their opponents responded with unflinching aggression, the Allies moved the battle to land and enlisted the support of Australian and New Zealand troops recently trained in Egypt. After the gunfire died down, nearly half a million soldiers fell to the ground, and the Turks finally won the defensive battle.
The film contains valuable insights from a panel of renowned historians, but it really thrives on the personal stories of those who served on the front line. Their perspective comes from a series of diary entries, as well as deeply personal letters they sent home to wives, family and other loved ones. They were brought to life by well-known character actors such as Jeremy Irons and Sam Neil.
We learn about the early life of each soldier featured in the film. The regiment was made up of soldiers from all walks of life—from starving artists to high-society luminaries—but all united by a strong sense of patriotism and duty. As we hear their reminiscences, we learn how their mission to defeat the Turks was thwarted by poor planning and a gross underestimation of the enemy’s resolve and resourcefulness. Every wave of struggle is meticulously narrated, and every setback, failure, and loss of life must be felt with empathy.
From the stunning reenactments to the harrowing theatrical score, the film’s production values are beyond reproach. Gallipoli transports the audience to the battlefield, inspires great empathy for service members, and makes the horrors of war vivid and tangible.
Directed by: Tolga Örnek
