THE CORRESPONDENT

Australia, 2025, 119 minutes, Colour.

Richard Roxburgh, Julian Maroun, Rahel Romahn, Mojean Aria, Yael Stone, Nicholas Cassim, Faysall Bazzi, John Bell, Anna Volska...

Directed by Kriv Standers.

Peter Greste was a significant international journalist, covering uprisings and wars. At Christmas 2013, he agreed to stand in for several weeks in Cairo, working for Al Jazeera. This was the period of unrest in Egypt, the election of Morsi as Pres, the rule of The Muslim Brotherhood, then his overthrow by military coup and the leadership of Fattah el-Sisi. It was a period of unrest and civil demonstrations.

This is a film, based on Peter Greste’s memoir, of his time in an Egyptian prison, 400 days plus. The screenplay, effectively re-creating the period, the hardships of the internment, the injustices of the courts, was written by screenwriter and director, Peter Duncan. And the strong impact of the drama is communicated by one of his best performances by Richard Roxburgh.

The film was made in Australia, incorporating television footage from the period, a strong cast of Australian actors with Middle Eastern backgrounds. There is also a special cameo appearance by veteran Shakespearean actor, John Bell, with his wife, and Oscar, as Peter Greste’s parents.

For audiences not knowing the story of Krista himself, the focus will be on identifying with him and the sudden arrest, no explanations, harsh and rough treatment, interrogations, prison clothes, his cell, isolation, Egypt’s are remote from Australia, hope to help from the Australian Embassy, the uncertainty of what would happen, what could happen. He is supported by some of the fellow prisoners, by a young enthusiastic wants to be a journalist, as well is the internment of his two fellow workers for Al Jazeera, one sustaining injuries and eventually being taken to hospital, the other with wife and family, uncertain of his future.

As with this kind of story, there will be audience in dictation at the treatment of the journalist, at the fabricated charges, of the reading into is work of espionage and promotion of propaganda hostile to Egypt. The appointed defence lawyer is pressurised to publicly resign. The judge of the case issues a harsh seven year sentence.

Throughout the narrative of the internment, there are continued flashbacks to an experience in Somalia where Greste was working with an associate, Kate Payton, her impending marriage, their going into Mogadishu, uprisings, shootings, her being wounded… And, this episode being used by the prosecutor, twisted to condemn Greste

The latter part of the film, there are the issues of the long sentence, the possibility of appeal, the turning down of appeals, the possibility for hunger strikes in protest…

As expected, this is a very sombre film, audiences identifying with a journalist deprived of his freedom while doing his work, the harsh and isolating experience of the prisoner, and the relief when the issue is resolved.

But, for Greste himself, the case continues and he has continued support for all journalists, and several journalists in particular cases, who are unjustly imprisoned. And there is the alarming final statistic, after the real-life sequence of Greste’s release from prison, of the number of journalists who have been killed in action in the 2020s or arenas of, especially, Gaza and Ukraine.

1. Audience knowledge of Peter Greste and his imprisonment in Egypt, 2013-2015? Australia? For the world? The journalists and freedom worldwide?
2. The background, Peter Greste as journalist, age and experience, worldwide, the background of the story and the death in Somalia, doing a favour to take three weeks in Cairo, working for Al Jazeera?
3. The Egyptian situation, from the mid-1950s and the Suez crisis, NASA, Sadat, Mubarek, the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi, the uprisings in North Africa from 2010? The situation in Egypt? Hostility towards The Muslim Brotherhood?
4. Greste at his hotel, out in the streets, the commentary about the uprisings? In his hotel, the police arriving, no identification, the demands, opening his safe, the threats, arresting him?
5. Audiences identifying with Peter Greste, the suddenness of the situation, no explanations, the treatment? His two colleagues being arrested? Interrogations, searches, prison gear, the cell? The isolation? The two colleagues, one with the injury, eventually going to hospital? The other and his friendship, situation at home with his wife and child? And the episodes are playing backgammon, with the prisoners, with the Major?
6. Peter Greste and his interchanges with the enthusiastic young man, wanting to be a journalist, enthusiastic, idealistic, supportive and Greste, his long sentence?
7. Time passing, the internment, the charges, political, subverting the government, planting international propaganda against the government? The hearings, the discussions? The severity of the interviews? The lawyer appointed to defend, the pressure on him, his public resignation?
8. The dramatic significance of intercutting the episode in Somalia, at various stages during the internment, building up the episode chronologically, Greste and his life, his ex-wife, women, with Kate, the mission in Mogadishu, his relationship with her, her intended wedding, the episode of the uprising, the shooting, her being wounded, transported, hospital, dying? And the interrogator using this episode to condemn Greste for not protecting Kate?
9. The visit from the Australian Embassy, unable to do much? The later contacts, the visits, the support?
10. The involvement of his brother, the visit from his mother and father, the family bonds, the Latvian background coming to Australia? Their work behind the scenes? The visit from the Latvian Embassy, the Latvian passport for him?
11. The long time passing, more than a year in internment? The bonding with some of the prisoners, the difficulties in language and translation, especially with the guards and their treatment? The backgammon games?
12. The case, the judge, the severity of the sentence, seven years? The response?
13. The issue of the appeal, world opinion, journalist uniting, articles in the media? The nature of the appeal, formulating the appeal? The issue of what would happen if it were not accepted? The prisoner and the issue of the hunger strike? Peter Greste and the determination for the appeal, the downturn, the hunger strike? The visit of his brother?
14. Behind-the-scenes, the interventions, the authorities coming to the cell, telling him that he could go, the farewell to his friend?
15. The return to Australia, Peter Greste and his campaigns ever since, supportive of journalists and freedom of the press? The news that the fellow workers were pardoned after seven more months?
16. A strong drama, a strong screen for freedom of the press and the work of journalists? And the statistics about so many deaths, especially in the 2020s, Gaza and Ukraine?