Based on Peter Greste’s 2017 memoirThe First Casualty, Kriv Stenders’The Correspondent follows Greste (Richard Roxburgh) as he accepts a last-minute assignment to cover a colleague’s post in Cairo during the Arab Spring, only to be arrested and accused of terrorism.
With only his wits keeping him alive, Greste’s survival means staring down a powerful regime to fight for freedom.
Julian Maroun and Rahel Romahn portray Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, respectively, the two colleagues arrested alongside Greste, with the cast also including Yael Stone, Nic Cassim, Mojean Aria, Fayssal Bazzi, Majid Shokor, Josh McConville, and Hazem Shammas.
Peter Duncan wrote the screenplay, while former Network 10 news and current affairs general manager Carmel Travers produced for Pop Entertainment. Shooting took place across six weeks in Sydney earlier this year.
The Correspondent received major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW under the Made in NSW Fund and the Regional Filming Fund. It was Financed with support from Jovial Planet Productions, Spectrum Entertainment, Dreamlight Studio, the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, Fulcrum Media Finance, and High Pass Holdings.
The film will be released in cinemas on Boxing Day via Maslow Entertainment.