Saristra returns to Kefalonia this year from July 29 to 31 after a two-year hiatus, with an impressive lineup that includes BEAK> led by Geoff Barrow ex-Portishead, and top names from the Greek alternative music scene.
In partnership with Onassis Culture, Saristra will include music, residencies and screenings focused on contemporary issues.
Ten years ago, Old Vlachata, an abandoned village in Sami, Kefalonia destroyed by the earthquake in 1953, Saristra found its home.
In the unique setting of winding streets, half-demolished buildings, old cisterns, centuries-old olive and pomegranate trees, wild goats, and sheep, is the old village square, Saristra.
Saristra has hosted the most important names in the Greek alternative and international names.
Along with Beak there will be KVB, the Nicholas Wood and Kat Day synth and shoegaze, the techno sound of Berlin duo Local Suicide, Lena Platonos, Noda Pappa from Acid Baby Jesus, and psychedelic, Pan Pan and the guitar verve of Dury Dava, and Trauma Child with its unsullied romantic poetry, the sui generis Dionysian festival of Kooba Tercu, capétte, and Demetria a melodic eclecticism
The Movement Radio of Onassis Stegis will present a Deena Abdelwahed the new sounds from the Tunisian scene, Tash LC, whose techno Afro that have made her the most promising name of the London dance scene, Madam X, one of Britain’s most dynamic DJs, and Hyperdub Records, Athens Computer Underground, the solo project of Pantelis Theodoridis of Regressverbot, Spivak from Cyprus known for ambient tones, and deep synth pop lines, Poor J Darr and LoFi, aka Lambros Tsamis, who has remained faithful to the Athenian underground from the 80s.
Saristra will also present Magnetic Fields, the no budget romantic road movie – shot in Kefalonia – by Giorgos Gousis, which won five Iris awards of the Hellenic Cinema Academy, including that of Best Film. Two very music documentaries: Anestis Delias, the black cat of the rebetiko by the Spyros Manolatos about the rebetiko and Music for Ordinary Life Machines by Nikos Handzis the synth scene of Greece from 80s to today.
Elina Kourtali will deliver daily yoga classes, Cinemathesis and Kangela will run children’s activities and Efrosyne Tsiritaki from the collective TAAT (Theatre and Architecture, Architecture and Theater) will present an intuitive design workshop.
The food is curated by the Nomade et Sauvage group, which seeks a dialogue between traditional food and place through raw and natural cuisine. This year a wine bar is being opened in collaboration with the Wine Kiosk of Kalamata which will exclusively serve labels from the Kefalonia Winemakers Association.
More information: www.saristrafestival.gr
