The Victoria Film Festival is set to mark its 30th anniversary with a theatrical opening night featuring acclaimed director Atom EgoyanB次元官网网址檚 latest masterpiece, B次元官网网址淪even Veils.B次元官网网址�

Set against the backdrop of Richard StraussB次元官网网址� opera B次元官网网址淪alomeB次元官网网址�, the film unfolds an emotional exploration of trauma, power dynamics and the complexity of relationships. In the film, the operaB次元官网网址檚 director Jeanine (Amanda Seyfried) is thrust into the daunting task of remounting her recently deceased mentor and ex-loverB次元官网网址檚 infamous, sexually-charged production. The operaB次元官网网址檚 familial themes of loss and unsettling power dynamics resurface trauma from her past, unravelling the threads of young JeanineB次元官网网址檚 life.

What makes this screening particularly special is EgoyanB次元官网网址檚 personal connection to Victoria, where he was raised (his first published review ever was in Monday Magazine).

The Cairo-born director explained the story is B次元官网网址渆ntirely rooted in Victoria.B次元官网网址� It delves into a deeply personal narrative inspired by EgoyanB次元官网网址檚 adolescent experiences and his first love, who he later discovered was a victim of abuse by her father.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be really emotional to bring it back to Victoria,B次元官网网址� he told Monday Mag.

Egoyan also has a deep connection to the opera B次元官网网址淪alomeB次元官网网址�, the first opera he ever directed in 1996.

The filmB次元官网网址檚 inception arose during the operaB次元官网网址檚 seventh remount.

B次元官网网址淸Seven Veils] has been brewing for a while, there are hints in it in some of the other films IB次元官网网址檝e done, but it really came to fruition when I found out that we were going to do this remount of the opera. At that point I started thinking, wouldnB次元官网网址檛 it be great if I could actually shoot something like a drama about the people who were putting the opera on? Also wouldnB次元官网网址檛 it be great if I could deal with this issue of retelling the story, but find a different perspective and also talk about a lot of the issues I was seeing around me: people appropriating stories, people behaving badly in the artistic setting.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 think when people see films, they want to enter into worlds they havenB次元官网网址檛 seen before. I hadnB次元官网网址檛 seen this world represented before, around the production of an opera but also the politics and all the aspirations of people having different dreams and fantasies,B次元官网网址� he said.

Power dynamics in relationships feature heavily in the film, which goes back to the main story of Salome herself, Egoyan said. For those unfamiliar with the story, Salome, daughter of Herodias, becomes increasingly subjected to inappropriate advances by her step-father King Herod all while falling into an obsessional love with John the Baptist. It builds to an uneasy climax, where she agrees to dance for Herod in return for the John the BaptistB次元官网网址檚 head on a platter.

Egoyan wrestled with the question of why Salome committed this incredibly violent act. He offers a new interpretation through JeanineB次元官网网址檚 journey to address her trauma through the opera.

B次元官网网址淛eanine really feels that thatB次元官网网址檚 her responsibility to herself is to reclaim that story and to make it hers,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淔rom the very beginning, when we first put it on, I wasnB次元官网网址檛 just playing her [Salome] as a femme fatale, as most productions tend to do that. I tried to investigate what was in her background that created this extreme request she makes and I felt that there were other layers to that. I couldnB次元官网网址檛 rewrite the opera obviously but I felt that through this script I could go further. It was just a very unusual opportunity to retell the story.B次元官网网址�

Egoyan praised SeyfriedB次元官网网址�, whom he had previously worked with on B次元官网网址淐hloeB次元官网网址�, and saw her as the perfect fit to bring the character to life alongside real-life opera singers, a decision he describes as a B次元官网网址渞iskB次元官网网址� but an interesting way to tell the story.

Attending the opening night at the Victoria Film Festival will be a chance for Egoyan to share with the audience his story behind creating the film.

Egoyan said that while there are more film festivals now than in past decades, they remain important places to showcase work and have a dialogue with the audience.

B次元官网网址淚 wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be where I am without festivals,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou really learn what plays and what doesnB次元官网网址檛 play and thatB次元官网网址檚 a great privilege.B次元官网网址�

Following Victoria, the film will make its international premiere at the Berlin Festival, where the opera first premiered. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 dying to see how it plays out in Berlin, the opera capital of the world,B次元官网网址� Egoyan said.

The opening night of the Victoria Film Festival will be tropical-themed.

Other highlights of the fest include a family-friendly screening of Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia where PJs are encouraged on Feb. 11.

Eric McCormack, star of NBCB次元官网网址檚 Will & Grace, will be at the Vic Theatre on Feb. 3 to share insights into his career and top local short films will be airing at Blue Bridge Theatre on Feb. 10.

And of course, for those looking to explore the world of opera, politics, aspirations, dreams, and fantasies, B次元官网网址淪even VeilsB次元官网网址� promises a cinematic experience like no other. Find all the details on .