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The Australian Cinémathèque presents the exquisite silent film Shiraz 1928 with live musical accompaniment by acclaimed musicians DVA (Tunji Beier and Linsey Pollak). DVA have created a live soundtrack for the film inspired by the musical traditions of South India. Tunji plays South Indian percussion instruments, including mridangam, kanjira, tavil, ghattam and morsing, while Linsey plays wind instruments of his own design, such as clarinis (narrow-bored clarinets), saxillo and zurna.

'"Not hands but heart built this / Which stands like a dream": One of three exquisite silent films made by Franz Osten and Himansu Rai, Shiraz, set in Moghul times, is the romantic legend behind the building of the Taj Mahal. The love of young Shiraz for his family's adopted daughter, Salima, endures even after she has been abducted by slave-dealers, sold to the royal court, married the prince and become Empress. On her death, the heartbroken Emperor orders the construction of the most wondrous monument ever in her memory. The craftsman who designs this masterpiece is the now aged and blind Shiraz; the monument is the Taj Mahal.' Pacific Film Archive