Eventlist

A Family Affair, an intimate portrait of the famous Xylouris family and their sacred bonds with the musical tradition of Crete.

Directed by Angeliki Aristomenopoulou, the film follows three generations of musicians of the family who uphold and pass on the vibrant tradition of Cretan music performing ceaselessly to followers across the world.

From the legendary Antonis Xylouris- widely known as Psarantonis- to his son, the famous lute player and singer George Xylouris -nicknamed Psarogiorgis- and his three children Nikos Antonis and Apollonia studying in Australia, the film follows Greece's most famous musical clan to discover the electrifying power of their music and the sacred ties that hold the family together.

"It captures how music is passed on from father to son to grandchildren, in a contemporary Greek-Australian family, brought together and apart by their love of music," says Aristomenopoulou.

"We don't carry this tradition as a family weight," explains George Xylouris. "It's part of our lives, of who we are. We need this tradition to live, like we need oxygen." The film begins in 2012. George's family is at a turning point. George is constantly on the move travelling across the world to perform. But now, he and his Australian wife Shelagh must prepare to part with their 16 yr old daughter, Apollonia, who moves to Australia to finish school. There, she joins her two brothers already studying music. Two months later, the three children welcome their father and grandfather Psarantonis. The three generations are to play together for the first time performing at Womadelaide and the Forum in Melbourne. As the concert approaches, the children's anxiety grows and their relationship with each other is tested. It is a pivotal time for all, before each pursues their own lives.

From the mountains of Crete to Australian deserts, the film unravels the portrait of a unique family that has the power to sacrifice -and win- everything through music.

A Family Affair is produced by Anemon Productions and Unicorn Films in collaboration with ABC Australia, the Greek Film Centre, OTE TV, and most recently, NERIT, the Greek public broadcaster. The film is released under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO).

You can buy tickets from Palace Cinemas by following this link: http://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/afamilyaffair/