Director Darren Aronofsky, who found success with his brilliant films Requiem for a Dream and The Wrestler, has set his sights on the world of ballet for his next film. Black Swan stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis in a “dark” “psychological” tale about 2 ballet dancers in NYC. To be honest, I’ve heard very [...]
Director Darren Aronofsky, who found success with his brilliant films Requiem for a Dream and The Wrestler, has set his sights on the world of ballet for his next film. Black Swan stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis in a “dark” “psychological” tale about 2 ballet dancers in NYC. To be honest, I’ve heard very little about this film but what I’ve heard is pretty impressive. Here is our first look at Portman in Black Swan and some deets about the film itself:
The Venice International Film Festival apparently can’t get enough of Darren Aronofsky, even if he has switched his focus from muscle-bound men to dainty dancers. The director took home a Golden Lion, the event’s top prize, for The Wrestler in 2008. Now he has been given the honor of opening this year’s 11-day event on Sept. 1 with Black Swan, a ballet-themed thriller due in late fall. “The cast and crew of Black Swan are both excited and humbled by the selection committee’s invitation,” Aronofsky said in a press announcement. “It is an honor to walk the great red carpet on the Lido, and we are excited to premiere our film to the wonderful audiences in Venice.” The dark tale with psychological twists stars Natalie Portman as Nina, a technically brilliant ballerina whose life takes some strange turns after being picked as the lead in a New York City production of Swan Lake. Pressures mount as her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey) pushes her to succeed and her manipulative dance master (Vincent Cassel) commands her to be more seductive and loose in her performance. Complicating matters is the arrival of Lily (Mila Kunis), a sultry dancer who exhibits all the innate ease and sexuality that Nina lacks. Nina begins to fixate on the newcomer as the two forge an unusual relationship. “The worldwide attention given to the Venice film festival provides an exciting launch for Black Swan,” says Nancy Utley, president of Fox Searchlight. “We are very proud of our collaboration with Darren.” After its premiere in Venice, The Wrestler went on to awards season glory, earning actor Mickey Rourke his first Oscar nomination and a chance at a career comeback. Fox Searchlight, which bought The Wrestler at the Toronto film festival after its Venice success, has similar hopes for Black Swan— and especially for Portman, who was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting part in 2004′s Closer. As the actress tells USA TODAY about her troubled Nina: “The character was very interesting to play, always challenging and surprising. The fact that I had spent so much time with the idea — Darren and I started discussing doing the film in 2000 — allowed it to marinate a little before we shot.”
Altho this article is light on actual deets about the film, I’ve heard from a few people who have seen an early version of the film that it is an amazing film. I am a huge Aronofsky fan — ever since Requiem for a Dream (which remains one of my all-time fave films) — so I’m really curious to see what he can do with a ballet story. I’m guessing the “usual relationship” between Portman‘s character and Kunis‘s character will be where the crux of the “dark tale” will lie. After the jump, check out another photo of Portman in her Black Swan role as well as a photo of Portman and Kunis together …
While I have a hard time envisioning what is so special about Black Swan I’m wholly intrigued by the shadowy mystery. Will there be a twist that will become the talk of the town? Will there be a gruesome scene that will fuel water-cooler buzz for weeks? Will the movie live up to the hype? I, for one, cannot wait to find out.
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Olivia Wilde
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