From patriarchy to patchwork - changing family concepts

Family values in transition

"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." - This is how Leo Tolstoy once formulated the "Anna Karenina" principle. At that time, the family patriarchy still prevailed: "the man of the house" was in charge. If he ever went out of the house, he gave his eldest son the task of the supervisor. Nowadays, patchwork is often preferred to patriarchy. Family concepts have changed, but the lines of conflict remain the same: appreciation, cohesion, emancipation, conflict, grief and envy are often very close to each other in the family unit. Since Greek antiquity, the range with which the theme of family has been treated in literature and film has also been astonishing: from tragedy and drama to comedy. This collection shows how diverse the concept of family has become - and how wonderfully imaginative filmmakers relate the members of a family to each other with their different needs.

Nowadays, patchwork is often preferred to patriarchy. Family concepts have changed, but the lines of conflict remain the same: appreciation, cohesion, emancipation, conflict, grief and envy are often very close to each other in the family unit.

Since Greek antiquity, the range with which the theme of family has been treated in literature and film has also been astonishing: from tragedy and drama to comedy. This collection shows how diverse the concept of family has become - and how wonderfully imaginative filmmakers relate the members of a family to each other with their different needs.

Watchlist