Seven Veils

Bequeathed a job remounting a Canadian Opera Company production of Salome after the death of its revered creator, her mentor, a young director (Amanda Seyfried) is forced to re-examine her tangled personal history with the project, the deceased man, and her own family.

Recently separated from her husband (Mark O’Brien), Seyfried’s Jeanine finds herself adrift, trying to explain her vision to the confused opera stars and taking comfort in reconnecting with an old friend (Douglas Smith) who’s understudying the role of Jochanaan. His fellow understudy (Diggstown star Vinessa Antoine) worries she’s about to miss her only chance to play Salome — while her partner, prop master Clea (Rebecca Liddiard), drifts into a dangerous situation with the blustering star, Johann (Michael Kupfer-Radecky).

For decades, Atom Egoyan’s cinema has explored families shattered by loss and betrayal, parents and children becoming alien to one another, the tangle of legacies, and monomania. Seven Veils continues his icy fascination with manipulation and abuse, as entitled men impose their will on the women in their orbits and leave them to deal with the fallout.

This project lets Egoyan indulge his long-time love of opera, incorporating this year's COC production of Salome, which he directed, into the film, and casting stars Kupfer-Radecky and Ambur Braid as fictional performers. And his reunion with Seyfried — who played the eponymous role in his drama Chloe (TIFF ’09) — lets the star demonstrate a range she rarely gets the chance to explore.

NORM WILNER

Official Selection, 2023 Toronto International Film Festival

Content advisory: themes of sexual assault; mature themes, sexual situations, coarse language