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See the photos: Forty five years of Gallipoli (1981)
24 April 2026
Released 45 years ago, Gallipoli (1981) has endured as one of Australia’s most defining war films.
Written by David Williamson and directed by Peter Weir, the film captures not only the scale and horror of this historic battle, but the deeply human stories at its heart – friendship, courage and the cost of conflict.
Filmed in South Australia with the funding and support of the SAFC, Gallipoli holds a pivotal place in both Australian cinema and our cultural identity, and is a powerful reminder of the legacy we reflect on this week, and every year, for Anzac Day.
Gallipoli is available to stream on Binge.
Images courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and R&R Films
The SAFC joined ABC Radio Adelaide in celebrating this remarkable film with a special screening on Thursday, 23 April at The Mercury Cinema.
Distinguished guests included Deputy Premier and Minister for Arts The Honourable Kyam Maher MLC; Louise Miller-Frost MP, Member for Boothby; Deputy Chair of the SAFC Board Brian Hayes KC, and SAFC Board members Austin Taylor OAM and Lauren Hillman; The Mercury Board Chair Ryan Williams and Mercury CEO Sarah Lancaster; members of the SAFC’s First Nations Advisory Group; and esteemed members of the SAFC Screen Circle.
ABC 891 Adelaide’s Deb Tribe hosted a Q&A panel before the screening with Bill Denny AM BM, veteran and RSL SA ambassador; Sash Lamey, who was hairdresser on Gallipoli; and actor Don Barker who appeared in the officer’s ball scene filmed at Adelaide Railway Station.
See the photos from the event below.
