25 April

During World War One, Turkey was a German ally. Hoping to knock Turkey out of the war, the British launched an invasion at the Gallipoli Peninsula. As part of the British Empire, colonial troops from Australia and New Zealand fought in this campaign. They became known as ANZACs. Gallipoli was to be a defining event in the history of these two nations.   25 April tells the story of the New Zealand’s involvement in this flawed and brutal campaign, which led to the deaths of thousands of young men and women. In New Zealand, the words “Gallipoli” and “ANZAC” have many meanings and great significance. So much so, that April 25th is a public holiday - a day of remembrance throughout the nation. And the year 2015-16 was designated by the NZ Government as WW100, a year of wide-ranging centenary commemorations, of which this film is a part.