The Veil

Trapped in a haunted convent outside of time, a young girl chases her faceless doppelganger for answers. But a
demonic nun stalks them in the shadows, getting closer and closer.
Can they unravel the convent's dark secrets in time to escape, before they are punished for their sins... forever?

  • Aaron Richardson
    Director
  • Angel St James
    Writer
  • Aaron Richardson
    Producer
  • Angel St James
    Producer
  • Angel St James
    Key Cast
  • Amy Leigh Raffe
    Key Cast
  • Harlene Hercules
    Key Cast
  • Drew Lane
    Lead Artists
  • Michael Gibbins
    Lead Artists
  • Ashleigh Royal
    Lead Artists
  • Project Type:
    360 Video
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 8, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Los Angeles Lift-Off Online Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
  • Amsterdam Lift-Off Online Film Festival
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    Finalist
  • London Lift-Off Online Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
  • Berlin Lift-Off Online Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
  • Tokyo Lift-Off Online Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
  • Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival

    Official Selection
  • Cyrus Internation Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best LGBTQ's Film
  • Toronto Film Magazine
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best Experimental
  • Pheonix International Short Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    Semi-Finalist
  • Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival
    Mallorca
    Spain
    Finalist
  • XR AWARDS
    Melbourne
    Australia
    November 12, 2020
    FINALIST - Australian VR Film of the Year
  • Sydney Lift-Off Film Festival
    Sydney
    Australia
    Official Selection
  • Melbourne Lift-Off Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    Official Selection
  • Sweden Film Festival
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    Best LGBTQ's Film
  • Beyond The Curve International Film Festival
    Paris
    France
    Finalist
  • Venice Shorts California
    Venice Beach
    United States
    Finalist
  • Athens International Monthly Art and Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    Honorable Mention
  • 1st Monthly International Film Festival
    Belgrage
    Serbia
    Best LGBTQ's Film
  • Cinema4Screen
    Mumbai
    India
    Special Mention
  • Kalakari International Film Festival
    Dewar
    India
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Aaron Richardson

Aaron Richardson is a filmmaker, actor, and director with over 30 years of professional experience in the performing arts industry.

A graduate from the University of Ballarat (Bachelor of Arts — Performing Arts), he established his first theatre company in 1995 – OZACT — specialising in outdoor Shakespearean productions in unique locations. Productions such as Hamlet at The Geelong College (featuring 16 different locations), The Tempest at The Loc-Ard Gorge, and King Lear in The Grampians all explored his passion of environmental theatre, where the space becomes its own living character.

As a longtime volunteer with the Melbourne International Film Festival, he was introduced to the world of Virtual Reality as a form of cinema. Since 2016 he has been an integral member of the “Virtual Reality Squad”, assisting the producers in the screening of over 50 experiences from the world’s leading VR creators.

In 2018, a special role as VR Volunteer Producer was created for him, allowing him to work closely with the production team on the day-to-day preparation, installation, and training of volunteers.

In 2019, he directed his first VR film, The Veil. It has been screened at 50 International festivals across 6 continents, and has won 18 Awards.

Aaron is currently undertaking his Masters in Creative Industries at JMC Academy in Melbourne.

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Director Statement

I was approached by Angel whilst we were working at MIFF in August 2018 with the idea of creating a narrative driven VR Experience. "The Veil" was the result of this joyous collaboration.

Initially, we intended to create a full, active and alive Convent, with the leading characters isolated by a common tangent. But the nature and majesty of the space, and the understanding that the spherical world of the full 360 degree immersion was a character within the narrative, changed our thinking.

The camera was deliberately placed between the performers, allowing us to hide clues and multiple viewing perspectives for the audience to choose their own path through the narrative. VR is a singular experience and no two viewers watch the narrative in the same manner, so it was vital that every element had meaning and the ability to influence the viewer. We took a classic narrative and through the use of VR as a disruptive technology, opened the world for wider perspectives to be explored.

The combined talents of the company helped forge a new approach to my style as a director and filmmaker. It gave me a greater appreciation as to how we share the medium and the manner in which cinema must evolve beyond shared experience and open the path to new interpretations of ones work.

AARON RICHARDSON