The 2021 Japanese short film Veils (ベール) was selected yesterday as an audience award winner at the 2022 Reel Q Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Film Festival for Best Short Film.
Ayumi Tani, an owner of a small bookstore, and Sayaka Murakami, a call center worker, are a lesbian couple living together. While they feel somewhat stifled by the fact that they are part of the LGBTQ community, they are looking forward to having a wedding-style photo shoot to celebrate their five-year anniversary. Sayaka finds a site for searching photo salons advertising “LGBTQ available" and enthusiastically makes an inquiry, but one photo salon’s disappointing response angers them. Ayumi decides to go confront the photo salon in person, even though Sayaka tries to stop her. Will Ayumi's words reach Ms. Oshima, an experienced staff of the salon? Will there be a place where Ayumi and Sayaka can enjoy their own slice of happiness.