Crowe Helms "The Water Diviner"

Actor Russell Crowe will make his feature film directorial debut on the drama "The Water Diviner" says Deadline.

Set just after the end of World War I, an Australian father arrives at Gallipoli in Turkey to recover the bodies of his sons. He soon finds hope where he thought there was none.

Aussie TV and movie veteran Andrew Anastasios and newcomer Andrew Knight wrote the script.

Troy Lum Andrew Mason and Keith Rodger are due to produce the pic.

The film will go into production later this year, in Australia and Turkey.

Crowe has considered many project for his directorial debut including Australian tales The Long Green Shore and Bra Boys.