THE CORRESPONDENT is based on The First Casualty, the book by renowned Australian-Latvian war correspondent Peter Greste, recounting his 436 days of incarceration in Cairo from late 2013 to mid-2015. Impeccably directed by Kriv Stenders, this is a powerful story, powerfully performed and conveying powerful messages about the alarming consequences of political suppression of press freedom to report the truth.
As Peter Greste, Richard Roxburgh is in every scene. He does not attempt to impersonate Peter Greste, but rather plays the character as written. An understated but truly believable performance. We are completely immersed in Peter’s experiences from his arrival in Cairo to relieve an Al Jazeera colleague for 2 weeks over Christmas. We are there with him during his first and only broadcast from a rowdy street protest, before armed undercover police barge into his hotel room and arrest him.
Initially, he assumes that it’s all a mistake. But de facto President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is convinced that Al Jazeera supports the Muslim Brotherhood. As an employee of Al Jazeera, Peter is therefore accused of terrorism and financing a terrorist organisation. His co-accused are his producer Mohammed Fahmy (Julian Maroun) and cameraman Baher Mohammed (Rahel Romahn).
Initially, Peter endures 10 days’ solitary confinement in Tora Limen prison political wing. Trying to comprehend his Kafka-esque predicament, he is quietly assured by young activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah (Mojean Aria) that “You’re not on your own, Mr Peter”. Alaa’s further advice that “to survive you must make peace with yourself” evokes Peter’s memory of his late colleague Kate Peyton (Yael Stone), for whose death in Mogadishu in 2005, he still feels guilt – as Prosecutor Mansour (Fayssal Bassi) cruelly reminds him in court.
Although Alaa has smuggled out letters from Peter alerting the world of his plight, the Australian Embassy is unable to offer much help to Peter; yet, his colleague Fahmy’s opinion that their only course is to denounce Al Jazeera as pro Muslim Brotherhood is anathema to Peter… Catch-22.
Eventually, after being transferred to a series of Egyptian prisons, Peter, Fahmy and Baher are put together with pro-democracy activist students to stand trial on trumped up charges of aiding terrorists and aiding a terrorist organisation. Lawyers are ‘dissuaded’ from representing them. Peter Greste is sentenced to 7 years detention.
Despite the support and advocacy of his brother Andrew (Nicholas Cassim) and his parents Juris and Lois (John Bell and Anna Volska), who take his case to the Latvian Consulate, Peter’s nightmare continues. Even his friendship with fellow backgammon enthusiast Warden Sami (Hazem Shammas), is of no assistance.
Although they are granted an appeal, when its findings are yet to be published well after the due date, Peter, his colleagues and the students prepare for a hunger strike.
Peter believes that the media would be all over it because “it’s them!”.
Produced by Carmel Travers and filmed here in Australia, THE CORRESPONDENT embodies all that is excellent about the Australian film industry. A major strength lies in Anousha Zarkesh’s casting. Add to this Fiona Donovan’s production design, Joanna Mae Park’s costume design, Geoffrey Hall’s cinematography and, of course, Peter Duncan’s screenplay.
Most importantly, THE CORRESPONDENT highlights the untenable suppression of, and attacks upon, journalists’ freedom to report the truth. The statistics quoted at the end detailing the number of journalists imprisoned or killed world-wide are beyond alarming, beyond acceptable.
