Three Veils

I love movies that surprise you, that make you forget that you are in a theater; movies that pull you into the story and won't let you go, movies that make you care. Three Veils, a new film by writer/director Rolla Selbak, does all that and more.

Three Veils is the story of three young Muslim women whose lives unexpectedly intersecting as they deal with issues of identity, tradition, and spirituality. To the outside world, they seem to be typical young college students dealing with the challenges of growing up and finding ones place in the world. But each girl has a story; a secret that they butt up against and can't seem to get over. The audience is given a privileged peek behind each veil and what we see draw us in. Dealing with a tragic past, an uncertain future and a forbidden desire, these women use humor and tenderness to deal with the heartbreak and find that leaning on each other is their key to surviving.

In the end, as you are wiping away the tears which you hadn't even realized were forming, you realize that Selbak has accomplished that rare cinematic feet of making her audience care. We realize we could be anyone of these women, we each have our own veil we live behind and we all just want to be seen.

Three Veils is a heartfelt and daring movie with just the right amount of humor sprinkled in. Talented script writing combined with powerful acting make this a movie you don't want to miss.

I saw the screening of Three Veil in San Francisco this past Sunday 10th April. It was definitely an eye opener! It was a very powerful movie in a way that made me aware that Muslim women have the same wants, needs and desires as women in any culture. Even though it was a serious movie about women in the Muslim culture, there was humor in it that I thought was wonderful because I didn't think Muslim women were allowed to have a sense of humor or allowed to laugh. The three women in the movie were very different in their own way but what stood out for me is their courage and strength to make the changes they needed for themselves and not for culture or society. I was impressed with how the director kept the stories of the three women light not heavy and too dark with good humor! I am ready to watch it again! The directors, producers and cast were wonderful!

Three Veils is the movie I've been waiting for. The movie is about 3 young Muslim women, dealing with different social and political issues-women's rights, rape, gay relationship, pre-arranged marriage, family expectations, love, friendship-that are a big part (and a problem, in my opinion) of everyday life in this culture. With a sense of humor, all three of them are fighting their own problems related to social stigma, culture and/or religion in order to have a normal, happy life they long for. This movie will provide some insight into the Muslim culture for those who are not already familiar with it and would like to know more. Being a Muslim myself, I'd always thought that we needed a movie like this to be made. We need talk about everything that our parents and grandparents didn't want to, because they were ashamed or afraid. I'm thankful to everybody who made it possible for this movie to be made: , Amira-Angela Zahra, Nikki-Sheetal Sheth, Leila-Mercedes MasÖhn, Jamal-Garen Boyajian the director-Rolla Selbak, the producer Ahmad Zahra and others. We need more movies like this!

I cant buy this film in DVD so i have to watch it in Russian(no subtitles and ZERO English version available on the internet). Technically i have no idea what they're talking about and i have to guess every details. But i really think this is a good movie, sad and touching ... And beside, i love Sheetal Sheth and her movies, i've known her from I cant think straight and the world unseen. She has something really special from her acting, something makes you remember and want to see more of her.

i hope i can find an English version to understand it completely.

So if you speak Russian or have this film in DVD then this is a MUST WATCH. (I'm from Vietnam and not good at English so sorry for my grammar mistakes)

Three Veils a film written and directed by Rolla Selbak is a real delicatessen in the independent film world. The film tells a revealing story of friendship and loyalty of three Muslim women: Nikki (Sheetal Sheth), Amira(Angela Zahra), and Leila (Mercedes MasÖhn). Each woman battles their own fears, insecurities and traumas. The film exquisitely looks closely at the lives of each woman showing their pain and struggles when dealing with social taboos, arranged marriage, and devastating insecurities caused by life-changing events. Love, friendship and trust are all stretched to the limits only to come back stronger than ever. Three Veils delivers a humorous dramatization which has a strong connection with reality itself, making the film powerful yet subtle, entertaining and an all-around eye-opening experience. Now a day it's hard to come around a film so complete; great acting, amazing story, humor, eye-opening reality, culture, music; it is absorbing and informative. I traveled from Colorado to San Francisco to see the film, because I knew that would be the only chance I'd have to see it before it's available to the public. Meeting the cast, the director and the producer, was a life-changing event for me, and every minute of the film was so worth it I will do it all over again.