The Home Song Stories

Acclaimed writer and director, Tony Ayres ( Walking on Water, which premiered at the 2002 Adelaide Festival of Arts) presents a highly personal tale of mothers and sons, mothers and daughters, unrequited love, betrayal and hidden secrets that span continents and decades. Rose has risen from a background of poverty to become a glamorous post-war Shanghai nightclub singer, who marries an Australian sailor and emigrates to Australia. She struggles to survive in the world of Chinese restaurants with her two children, until an affair with a charismatic younger man threatens to bring everything undone. Based on stories from the director’s childhood, the film revolves around a strong, complex performance by Joan Chen ( The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks). This visually beautiful film works both as an intensely autobiographical introspection in which the film's narrator attempts to come to terms with the unresolvable ambiguity of his feelings towards his mother, as well as uncovering of the rarely-told history of Chinese-Australians.

Tony Ayres, Michael McMahon, Liz Watts and cast members are Guests of the Festival

Please note, the AFF program booklet contained a misquote attributed to Tony Ayres. This is the corrected version.