Seven Veils (2025) - Film Review

      **Seven Veils, 2025.**

      **Written and Directed by Atom Egoyan.**

      **Starring:** Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Mark O’Brien, Vinessa Antoine, Ambur Braid, Michael Kupfer-Radecky, Tara Nicodemo, Maia Jae Bastidas, Lynne Griffin, Lanette Ware, Maya Misaljevic, Joey Klein, Aliya Kanani, Siobhan Richardson, Michael Schade, and Karita Mattila.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      A dedicated theater director is faced with the challenge of reviving her former mentor's renowned opera, Salome. Troubling memories from her past begin to influence her present as she confronts repressed trauma.

      Atom Egoyan’s *Seven Veils* is a distinctive and intriguing filmmaking venture that narrates the psychologically unsettling tale of an opera director drawing on her difficult past to reinterpret Salome, a narrative centered on obsessive love, while making “small but meaningful changes” informed by her suppressed personal experiences.

      In addition, the film adopts a mockumentary style, presenting storylines about prop artists, interviews, and the theatrics of stage production—complete with footage from live performances—after Canada commissioned Egoyan to create his version of the play (the film includes two sets of credits, one for the movie and another for the stage version). This creative intertwining of drama and reality evokes a tantalizing glimpse into the world of opera staging amidst domestic turmoil and reawakened psychological scars.

      *Seven Veils* brims with topical themes, many rooted in the arts and the complicated dynamics that emerge, including instances of sexual assault. Amanda Seyfried plays Jeanine, who is helming an opera of this scale for the first time while also juggling the demands of motherhood to a teenager and navigating a strained relationship with her partner, who is now involved with her mother’s caretaker. While she struggles to address this fracturing connection—often communicating remotely—she is also burdened by further invasive and troubling thoughts regarding her father, a figure in the industry who used her as a muse in deeply questionable ways. Additionally, she grapples with her romantic feelings for her mentor.

      The film unfolds at a deliberate pace, allowing the narrative to develop gradually as Jeanine integrates her findings into her interpretation of the opera. This manifests as an all-consuming fixation that may liberate her or harm her mental state. Throughout, she interacts with a diverse cast of stage actors, some of whom challenge Jeanine's vision. Viewers are treated to authentic moments from rehearsals, further blending the boundaries of the performance world.

      However, at times, this approach slightly detracts from the film's menacing energy and can create tonal inconsistencies, especially when focusing on more documentary-style aspects of production that eventually become dramatized. Nevertheless, the sense of witnessing something truly original endures. Seyfried, even as her character becomes increasingly unhinged, effectively maintains her humanity, utilizing her expressive features as the truth of her repressed, troubled past surfaces.

      Labeling *Seven Veils* as genuinely rewarding comes with hesitation, as the film feels overloaded and exists at the crossroads of cinema and theater. Some subplots unfold in lengthy, drawn-out scenes that divert attention from the main narrative, even if they occasionally touch on relevant issues within art production. With more focus and perhaps some effective adjustments, the film could have delivered a bold and daring narrative. Yet, it settles for minimal intrigue, opting for an exploratory style that throws everything at the wall to see what resonates. The uncomfortable atmosphere and the strangeness surrounding Jeanine's life leave a lasting impression, making it a film that is difficult to forget despite its flaws.

      **Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★**

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd.