Richard Roxburgh, Peter Greste steal the show at Darwin’s The Correspondent screening

Opening night of the Deckchair Cinema was graced by both the actor on screen and the man he was portraying, a former Darwin journo, who later turned war correspondent.

Australian actor Richard Roxburgh and veteran journalist Peter Greste at Darwin's Deckchair Cinema ahead of the screening of 'The Correspondent'. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

When Peter Greste was asked if a film could be made about him, the war correspondent “didn’t really think it was going to go far”.

More than 10 years after he was accused of terrorism and locked up in an Egyptian cell, Greste’s prison experience is being brought to life on screen.

Portrayed by award-winning actor Richard Roxburgh, the pair touched down in the Top End last Wednesday to watch the film’s screening at the Deckchair Cinema’s opening night.

It was a nostalgic homecoming for Mr Greste. His second journalist job was in Darwin back in the 1980s working for Channel 10 – a far cry from the Middle Eastern battlefields and war torn environments he would eventually cover.

“I worked right across the Top End,” he said.

“We were doing all the classic stories – mango madness, the crocodile stories...”

Mr Greste said he didn’t expect his story to be made into a film.

“You know, 90 per cent of film projects never actually make it to the screen so I didn’t really think it was going to go far,” he told the NT News.

“I was just happy to go along for the ride.”

However, the veteran reporter’s story gained significant interest within the industry, with screenwriter Peter Duncan and producer Carmel Travers having advanced the project.

“Everybody showed real curiosity and real interest in creating something that was authentic,” he said.

“And that gave me a lot of comfort that they were going to pay some real respect to the story.”

Mr Greste (left) says the film was a “fantastically true rendition” of what he endured. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Directed by Kriv Stenders, the film captures Mr Greste’s 400-days of incarceration.

With limited time to portray such an ordeal, Mr Greste said he appreciates the film is an “interpretation” of his experience.

“It is a fantastically true rendition of what I went through,” he said.

“It took me a long time to get used to the idea, until I realised film is a painting, not a photograph.”

Having starred in major productions alongside the likes of Tom Cruise, Hugh Jackman, Tom Hanks and Nicole Kidman, the experienced performer Richard Roxburgh is accustomed to big challenges.

“Peter was incredibly helpful and it was great to know that he was with us from the beginning,” he said.

“And knowing he was a big supporter of the project was really important to me.”

The film focuses on the “emotional heartbeat” of what Mr Greste endured, according to the The Moulin Rouge and Van Helsing star, who said he researched “as much as I could” before taking to set.

“Having his book was obviously really important and access to footage of him from over time, his history and his reporting,” Mr Roxburgh said.

“And seeing the way he was in a room with fellow human beings was important to me as well – beyond that, it was an act of imagining.”

It turns out both men have a special affinity – and connection – with the Territory. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Like Greste, Mr Roxburgh the Territory holds a special place in his heart.

“I’d love to get up here and spend a whole lot of time – it’s only ever been brief little stints,” he said.

“You can just tell and feel what an extraordinary part of the world is, I’d love to spend more time here.”

Deckchair Cinema operations manager Erin Lucas said she was thrilled to host the special guests.

“This is such a big deal because it’s a new Australian film at Deckchair Cinema,” she said.

“We are really proud to showcase local content from the Territory, from Australia – films that aren’t necessarily going to be hitting the big screens elsewhere in Darwin.”

With the dry season looming, Ms Lucas said there was plenty of “great local content” ahead.

“We’ve got so much to look forward to.”

Originally published as Richard Roxburgh, Peter Greste steal the show at Darwin’s The Correspondent screening