It’s unclear how many fans of Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan’s film work are aware of his side project directing operas for a number of Canadian opera companies, going back to 1996 when he directed his first production of Richard Strauss’ “Salomé.”
In 2023, Egoyan returned to direct that opera for the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in downtown Toronto. He decided to write and direct Seven Veils, a film based within the production of that opera during his restaging of “Salomé.” Egoyan’s latest film stars Amanda Seyfried – who previously starred in Egoyan’s 2009 thriller, Chloe – as Jeanine, a theater director taking on the controversial opera that involves sexual assault and murder, following in the footsteps of her former mentor while dredging up dark memories from her own past. The film also stars Rebecca Liddiard as Clea, the company’s behind-the-scenes person who is crafting the sculpted head of John the Baptist for a pivotal scene in the opera. Clea ends up having to decide whether to speak out when the actor playing that character makes an unwanted pass at her.
Cinema Daily US spoke with Egoyan about his transition from directing operas and film to making a film set in the world of opera, reuniting with Seyfried for this film, and much more. You can watch that interview in the player above, and see Seven Veils, when it opens in select cities on Friday, March 7.
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Writer/Director: Atom Egoyan
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Douglas Smith, Rebecca Liddiard, Mark O’Brien, Vinessa Antoine, Vinessa Antoine, Lanette Ware, Vinessa Antoine, Lynne Griffin
Producer: Atom Egoyan, Niv Fichman, Simone Urdl, Kevin Krikst, Fraser Ash
Production Co: Rhombus Media, Ego Film Arts
Distributor: Variance Films
Rating: PG-13 (Violence|Some Sexuality|Language)
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): March 7, 2025
Runtime: 1 hour, 47 minutes
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You can watch the Seven Veils trailer below: