TORONTO — Canadian director Atom Egoyan will premiere his opera-inspired feature “Seven Veils” at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The drama reunites the Toronto filmmaker with U.S. actress Amanda Seyfried, who starred in Egoyan’s 2009 Toronto-set film “Chloe.”
This time, Seyfried plays a theatre director remounting her former mentor’s most famous work, the opera “Salome” by Richard Strauss.
The film features real-life opera stars from the Canadian Opera Company’s most recent production of “Salome,” also directed by Egoyan.
Soprano singer Ambur Braid played Salome and baritone Michael Kupfer-Radecky played John the Baptist, and each revisit the roles for the film.
“Seven Veils” is set to be Egoyan’s 18th film at TIFF, which runs Sept. 7 to 17.
It heads to a festival swirling with uncertainty as twin Hollywood strikes by unionized actors and writers threaten to diminish this year’s star power.
Rules surrounding the labour action prevent SAG-AFTRA members from promoting studio work or attending film festivals.
However, Canadian films with Canadian cast and creators who are not affiliated with SAG-AFTRA or the WGA are unaffected.
“Seven Veils” also stars Canadian actors Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Mark O’Brien and Vinessa Antoine.
It screens at TIFF on Sept. 10, but is preceded by an avant-première in partnership with the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on Sept. 8.
“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 said Wednesday in a release.
Tickets for the avant-première will be available Aug. 15.
Tickets for TIFF go on sale to TIFF members by level beginning Aug. 18. The full festival schedule is expected to be released in August.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
The Canadian Press
