Actor Russell Crowe believes the time is right for Australians and New Zealanders to consider the Turkish perspective to Gallipoli.

The Oscar-winning actor is celebrating his directorial debut in Sydney tonight with the world premiere of his feature film The Water Diviner.

The film is set four years after the Gallipoli campaign in World War I and follows the journey of an Australian farmer who travels to Turkey to discover the fate of his three sons.

The Water Diviner explores how families on both sides of the conflict suffered the loss of their sons, husbands and fathers during the bloody battle of Gallipoli and how former enemies become united in their grief during the post-war period.

Crowe said with the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign next year he believed Australians and New Zealanders were ready to consider the Turkish perspective to the war.

"This amount of time from the actual battle, coming up to the 100th anniversary, I think there's probably space in our hearts to open up a little bit more and look at the other perspective," he said.

Crowe, who plays the lead role of Joshua Connor, also takes on the role of director for the first time.

He said while he was anxious about his first directing experience he had learned about leadership while on the set of Master and Commander.

"The crew don't require you to be always 100 per cent right," he said.

"They just require you to be certain."

Crowe said he chose to film the movie in Australia so he could give back to the local industry.

Sorry, this video has expired Russell Crowe talks about The Water Diviner

"This is the culture I know," he said.

"This is the culture I love.

"This is where I choose to live.

"Why not use the skills and knowledge I've built up over the years to maybe create a space for a new generation of actors."

The love story was inspired by one line in a letter, written by Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Hughes from the Imperial War Graves unit immediately after the end of World War I.

"One old chap managed to get here from Australia, looking for his son's grave," he wrote.