Veils

It’s the morning of the wedding and groom Samer is at his Palestinian parents’ north London house getting ready. Clearly not everyone is happy with his choice of fiancée, with even his dear grandfather haranguing him over the phone. Elsewhere, nervous bride Miriam is feeling the tension, too, with her Jewish parents getting more anxious, fending off pointed questions from relatives and neighbours about their impending son-in-law.

If this day is meant to be about them and their happiness, why is everyone else so fraught? Is theirs a forbidden love that can cross the cultural divide?

Writer and director Dan Susman one-twos us with a neat twist that brings more sonority to his short film than the seemingly simple set up would suggest. The device, combined with sensitive camera work and strong players, widens the focus from the divergent families to a more mature, sensitive view of the issues at hand – with which the audience becomes complicit.

Aided by able performances from Ray Panthaki (Kidulthood) and Jessica Manley, in turn supported by Maureen Lipman and Andy Lucas, Veils is a clear indication that Susman, an editor of 2007’s In The Hands Of The Gods, is a talent to watch.