The Veiled

The Veiled is a must watch film that brings attention to a difficult subject that many people do not realize is occurring, or may find difficult to discuss. The film is brilliantly written, acted, and directed. When a film can elicit the range of emotions of the characters, it is a sign of a remarkable film.

As the film says "we can not unsee what we have seen". It is a thought provoking film that leads you to question the concealed and unspoken about aspects of our society.

I watched this movie in a packed cinema and the credits rolled to great applause, and rightly so. This film achieved that brilliant and elusive thing - the magic that doesn't always happen when watching a short: that you are fully immersed within a few moments of looking at the screen, believing in the characters instantly, and willingly finding yourself on the emotional journey alongside the main characters. It is BEAUTIFULLY shot; it shows us the story at every raw and real turn, rather than just tells us. It's suspenseful, and a little haunting.....the subject material is important and difficult, but it's sensitively handled. Events are resolved to an extent but you are left wanting more, and wondering. This could easily be a film for TV or a launching off point for something more from these film-makers. I love the obvious dedication with which this was made by all the storytellers involved. We truly loved watching this.....it's important that passionate people keep making unique gems like this film. And aside from all of that, the performances were excellent - so much talent in one package..

Veiled follows one woman's investigation of a dark and hidden global industry, sex slavery between the developing and developed world.

It bravely looks at the dangers faced by volunteers who investigate the underground trade and raid buildings to free women who are held captive.

Veiled fill the screen with talent, and it is evident that a creative passionate team has dedicated their storytelling skills to this project.

As a social issues project it is a perfect advocacy tool, but it is more than that for general audiences. The characters are fully formed, the story is compelling, and the writing, direction and production is spot on. It wouldn't be out of place as a commercial TV special drama.

Haunting, eerie, yet thoughtful and composed with consummate care, THE VEILED follows Cassandra, an Australian fashion photographer used to shooting models by the breezy, open seaside as she ventures into the world of women shut away from the daylight. Visiting family overseas is also a chance to search for clues to the disappearance of her sister years ago, and investigate the dark underworld of local sex- trafficking.

Having made a financial success of herself, transforming a mere hobby into paid work, Cassandra now seeks to put her snapshot skills to more urgent purpose, using her camera to turn her lens back onto predatory men, as well as to snatch important images of their victims. Photographs are of great symbolic importance in the film as (among other things) a currency of proof: verbal tales seem to count for little, and the women Cassandra is trying to help cannot speak English.

Although short, the film is populated by authentic and often sinister performances, and shots are composed with high attention to detail and atmosphere, yet never cluttered or overdone. Overall, THE VEILED is a striking and powerful film about guilt, memory, and responsibility-- all structured around a terrible and urgent social problem. Take any opportunity to see it.

A brilliant insight into a very difficult subject matter. This is a film that needed to be made and has been done so with beautiful judgement, fine performances and skillful story-telling. The overall tone of the film is both deeply involving and harrowing, and reminds us of why we watch films. Sometimes, yes, it's for escapism, but other times, it's because certain stories need to be heard.