Acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan returns with Seven Veils, a haunting cinematic experience that blurs the boundaries between opera and film that first premiered at TIFF 2023. The project represents a deeply personal journey for Egoyan, revisiting his 1996 staging of Richard Strauss’s opera Salome while creating something entirely new.
Starring Emmy winner Amanda Seyfried as Janine, a character who becomes Egoyan’s focus within the narrative, the film explores trauma and artistic expression through a dreamlike visual palette that mirrors the expressionism of its operatic inspiration.
Egoyan, whose groundbreaking works like Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter helped elevate Canadian cinema to international prominence in the 1990s, faced unprecedented challenges in creating Seven Veils, but the end results speak for themselves.
In an interview with CGMagazine before the film’s release, Egoyan reveals the complicated beginnings of Seven Veils, discusses reuniting with Seyfried 15 years after Chloe, explains the film’s distinctive visual approach, delves into its unexpectedly dark personal elements and shares his perspective on the evolving landscape of Canadian cinema and the exceptional talents emerging within it.
I saw Seven Veils at TIFF, and I was really impressed with the film’s visual style. But to start off, I’d love to know—how did this film come to be? How did you get involved, how did the story take shape, and how did everything come together?
Atom Egoyan: It’s a very personal story because I first mounted this opera in 1996. Salome has been presented numerous times in different places, and I found out it was returning to the Canadian Opera Company in 2023, two years ago. That raised a lot of questions for me—what was the pertinence of this opera in today’s society? A lot has changed since 1996, and I thought of many things I’d like to do to address those changes. But I realized I didn’t have the time. When you’re doing a remount, you can’t reconstruct the whole thing.
That’s when I began thinking about this film, about the character of Janine and how she became my avatar in a way. Then she became a character unto herself, a really forceful one, especially when I imagined Amanda in that role. It was a very unique and unusual way of making a film because it was piggybacked on this production happening in Toronto at the time. It also had very specific pressures—it had to be shot while the opera was on stage. I had never experienced that before, and I hope I never do again. It was a stressful, very stressful way to make a movie.
The Canadian Opera Company almost becomes a character in the film. You mentioned it was a difficult process, but how did it all come together? You had the play running at the same time as the film—what was that like to manage?
Atom Egoyan: Yeah, it was incredibly difficult. The way opera works, first of all, is that the set isn’t just sitting there—it’s in rep with other productions. So, the set is taken on and off, and the rehearsal space has to be coordinated. Then there’s scheduling—making sure the singers, who are booked years in advance to perform these roles, have availabilities that align with the film schedule.
And then, of course, we were doing this during COVID, which added even more complications. There were so many moving parts, far more than usual. But somehow, miraculously, we made it work. There were a couple of glitches, but you wouldn’t notice them in the film.
We did have some incredible, unexpected advantages unique to this production, but I wouldn’t advise doing it this way. Some part of me thought it would be easier because the production was already there, and we were just piggybacking on it. But that was delusional—the film was its own massive undertaking. Combining the two worlds while dealing with various unions and requirements suddenly made it a much bigger project than I had anticipated.
Oh, that makes sense.
Atom Egoyan: Looking at it now, I just think, wow, that was a crazy thing to pull off. But I’m really proud of the movie. And Amanda—it’s such a great role for her. It emerged through this very unusual process, where she was watching the rehearsals, getting excited about what she was seeing, and contributing as well.
That was actually my next question—how did Amanda get involved with the project?
Atom Egoyan: Well, again, she’s a very busy actress, so it had to work out that she was fresh off winning the Emmy for The Dropout. There were a lot of opportunities being presented to her, and usually, you need some flexibility with a star’s schedule. But we had none—she had to be available at this specific time.
Somehow, it worked out. I think there was a late flight to a Golden Globes event she had to attend during that period, but when these things come together, they feel like miracles. It takes an actor who’s truly excited about the role, and she was. She was eager to work together again—it had been 15 years since Chloe, and this just felt like the right role.
It all worked really well together, and I loved the look of the film. That’s what I’m talking about—it has this almost dreamlike, surreal quality, especially as the film progresses. Was that intentional from the start, or did it develop naturally? How did that approach come to be?
Atom Egoyan: Well, look, it’s inspired by the stage show, which has a lot of expressionism—there are deep shadows and very bold theatrical choices. The question was, how far could we incorporate that into a film? These aren’t lighting techniques or approaches you would normally use in cinema, but since we were integrating it with the theatrical work, we felt we could push that a little.
So yes, the film is inspired by the palette, tone, and design of the stage production—and, of course, the music. We use Richard Strauss’s music at several points as the film’s soundtrack, sometimes stripping away the voices and letting the orchestra play, which is very unusual.
It creates this fevered feeling, like being in a dream—or, more accurately, a fever dream. And that reflects her experience as she relives past traumas through the play, through the opera.
I wanted to touch on the drama aspect—you set that up perfectly. When I went in to see the film, I chose to go in blind, and I didn’t realize just how dark the story would get or how personal it would feel. How was that achieved? And when you set out to make this movie, did you always intend for it to be this personal and dark, or did that evolve throughout the process?
Atom Egoyan: Look, I’ll be honest—the actual production itself, and what I was dealing with in my own life in 1996, found expression in the opera. There’s a major interpretive aspect where we get very personal with her background, and that was tied to certain things I had observed in my life—things I’ve explored in other films as well.
Going back to this piece, which was originally presented between Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter in my career, also meant revisiting that period in my life. There was a lot of time for these feelings to brew, to react in a way that makes it intense.
I think it’s interesting—some people find it far more intense than they expected. Maybe that requires some preparation, but I also find something intriguing about just plunging into it without knowing what to expect—suddenly being immersed in it. Opera does that. And for a film about the opera world to be successful, it has to instill that same intensity. It’s definitely a strange zone to be in.
I can only imagine.
Atom Egoyan: Everything is layered—there are so many elements stacked on top of each other. It creates a truly singular experience.
The film felt very unique but also deeply touching, so I think it really achieved what it set out to do. Just to wrap up—Canada has a unique film scene, and in recent years, it has grown significantly compared to what it was in the ’90s. You were one of the directors who helped put Canada on the map in that era, especially in the ’90s and early 2000s.
Looking at it now, how do you feel about where Canadian cinema stands? What has it achieved, and what do you think still needs to happen for it to gain greater global recognition?
Atom Egoyan: We have great filmmakers, great young filmmakers. I’m in awe of the first features I see—it’s just a matter of getting them distribution. The market is incredibly crowded, with so much material out there.
I look at these films and think, ‘I just wish festivals could be more generous.‘ My career was built on the ability to take films from festival to festival, but now, many festivals want exclusivity, requiring premieres. They aren’t as open to sharing films, which makes it more difficult.
It would be wonderful if the Canadian public could better understand how unique and thrilling these features are. But without a strong forum, that’s a challenge. TIFF is doing great work, and it’s good that they’re showing fewer films to allow more focus, but I feel we need to highlight this incredible new generation of filmmakers who are fulfilling their promise.
It was far less competitive when I was making films, and I want to support in any way I can. We have a distinct tone to the films we create here in Canada—we aren’t bound by the same considerations as other filmmakers. It’s exciting to see new voices taking advantage of that, exploring, and creating bold, innovative work.
No, I thank you. Thank you so much. I loved the film. I loved what you kind of did with it. And I also love the fact that you did make the game an opera company, a major part of what made the movie.
Atom Egoyan: Yeah. Well, we also happen to have one of the best acoustic environments at the Canadian Opera Company. I’ve seen opera all over the world, and our opera house is a gem. Somehow, the design worked out perfectly—it’s acoustically exceptional. It’s truly a great place to experience opera.
Thank you so much. I thank you for taking the time to talk to me.
Atom Egoyan: Same to you.