The Film

The Journey of Askavlos

Produced by: qoppa film productions / Yorgos Arvanitis

Written, directed by: Yorgos Arvanitis

Edited by: Chronis Theocharis

Director of Photography: Zoi Dalaina, Markus Haaser

Ethnomusicological Documentary

Language: Greek with English subtitles
Duration: 88 Minutes

Shooting time: 2010-2019

Year of Completion: 2020

Logline

A journey through the Aegean Sea, where old meets new, and Askavlos, the ancient Greek bagpipe, is being revived in the hands of musicians, dedicated to restoring and maintaining an ancient tradition. The instrument slowly but surely finds its way to the city, where modern musicians bring it into the contemporary music scene.

Synopsis

„The Journey of Askavlos“ is a wonderful musical journey that follows the ancient Greek bagpipe, from the stone-built villages, where the roots of the instrument lie, to the concrete jungles of modern cities. This journey brings together authentic practitioners of an ancient tradition, as well as young musicians who are discovering it in its moment of decline. Together, they bring it into the present, revive it and keep it alive.
The revival brings back something almost lost, the customs and ethos of a people of another era and an oral tradition that was once a way of life. The archaic bagpipe is now being assimilated by the contemporary music scene and fused with modern sounds, beyond the realm of traditional festivals, thus acquiring a young audience and enjoying great appeal throughout Greece and the world.