The Victoria Film Festival is set to mark its 30th anniversary with a theatrical opening night featuring acclaimed director Atom Egoyan害羞草研究所檚 latest masterpiece, 害羞草研究所淪even Veils.害羞草研究所�

Set against the backdrop of Richard Strauss害羞草研究所� opera 害羞草研究所淪alome害羞草研究所�, the film unfolds an emotional exploration of trauma, power dynamics and the complexity of relationships. In the film, the opera害羞草研究所檚 director Jeanine (Amanda Seyfried) is thrust into the daunting task of remounting her recently deceased mentor and ex-lover害羞草研究所檚 infamous, sexually-charged production. The opera害羞草研究所檚 familial themes of loss and unsettling power dynamics resurface trauma from her past, unravelling the threads of young Jeanine害羞草研究所檚 life.

What makes this screening particularly special is Egoyan害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所渆ntirely rooted in Victoria.害羞草研究所� It delves into a deeply personal narrative inspired by Egoyan害羞草研究所檚 adolescent experiences and his first love, who he later discovered was a victim of abuse by her father.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to be really emotional to bring it back to Victoria,害羞草研究所� he told Monday Mag.

Egoyan also has a deep connection to the opera 害羞草研究所淪alome害羞草研究所�, the first opera he ever directed in 1996.

The film害羞草研究所檚 inception arose during the opera害羞草研究所檚 seventh remount.

害羞草研究所淸Seven Veils] has been brewing for a while, there are hints in it in some of the other films I害羞草研究所檝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, wouldn害羞草研究所檛 it be great if I could actually shoot something like a drama about the people who were putting the opera on? Also wouldn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 think when people see films, they want to enter into worlds they haven害羞草研究所檛 seen before. I hadn害羞草研究所檛 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,害羞草研究所� 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 Baptist害羞草研究所檚 head on a platter.

Egoyan wrestled with the question of why Salome committed this incredibly violent act. He offers a new interpretation through Jeanine害羞草研究所檚 journey to address her trauma through the opera.

害羞草研究所淛eanine really feels that that害羞草研究所檚 her responsibility to herself is to reclaim that story and to make it hers,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淔rom the very beginning, when we first put it on, I wasn害羞草研究所檛 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 couldn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

Egoyan praised Seyfried害羞草研究所�, whom he had previously worked with on 害羞草研究所淐hloe害羞草研究所�, and saw her as the perfect fit to bring the character to life alongside real-life opera singers, a decision he describes as a 害羞草研究所渞isk害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚 wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be where I am without festivals,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou really learn what plays and what doesn害羞草研究所檛 play and that害羞草研究所檚 a great privilege.害羞草研究所�

Following Victoria, the film will make its international premiere at the Berlin Festival, where the opera first premiered. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 dying to see how it plays out in Berlin, the opera capital of the world,害羞草研究所� 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 NBC害羞草研究所檚 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, 害羞草研究所淪even Veils害羞草研究所� promises a cinematic experience like no other. Find all the details on .