Amanda Seyfried’s opera-inspired ‘Seven Veils’ to have TIFF premiere

TORONTO: Atom Egoyan’s directorial venture Seven Veils, featuring Amanda Seyfried, will have its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2023.

The 48th edition of TIFF 2023 is scheduled to run from September 7 to September 17, with the full lineup set to be revealed in August.

TIFF Chief Executive Officer Cameron Bailey expressed pride in showcasing Egoyan’s movie at the festival, highlighting his unmatched cinematic prowess.

The movie stars Amanda Seyfried as Jeanine, a theater director tasked with reviving her former mentor’s renowned work, the opera “Salome.”  Jeanine grapples with haunting memories from her past, allowing repressed trauma to intertwine with her present as she reenters the world of opera after years.

Egoyan’s Seven Veils marks his 18th film to premiere at TIFF, a significant milestone for the celebrated filmmaker. Having initially directed Salome for the Canadian Opera Company in 1996, Egoyan returned this year to stage a revival of the production.

“Amanda is a phenomenal actress, and here she brilliantly plays a woman dealing with complex and explosive relationships in her past, present, and future. I feel to have the world premiere of this film at TIFF and to be partnering with the Canadian Opera Company really brings my two great passions together in such a beautiful way.” Egoyan added.

Elevation Pictures, XYZ Films, Rhombus Media, and Ego Film Arts have collaborated to produce the movie. Furthermore, it has also received support from Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates, IPR.VC, Cinetic Media, Crave, and the Canadian Opera Company. While, XYZ Films will handle the world sales of the film, while Elevation Pictures will distribute it in Canada.

Meanwhile producer Niv Fichman of Rhombus Media acknowledged the electrifying impact of Egoyan’s Salome when it first premiered in 1996 and lauded Seven Veils as an exciting evolution of themes that resonate throughout Egoyan’s body of work.