GoodOldParanoia

Darren Aronofsky’s Black swan opened 2010 Venice Film Festival and everyone is already talking about it!

Black swan was catalogued by many as a “psychosexual ballet thriller” and it’s starred by Natalie Portman, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel. They were helped by the involvement of Benjamin Millepied, a dancer at the New York City Ballet and Portman’s real-life boyfriend, who plays the prince.

So what is “Black swan” about?

Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side – a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Classical ballet has rarely been portrayed like Darren Aranofskydid with Black swan… Featuring murder, ruthless ambition, drug taking, self-harming, unhealthy narcissism and lesbian sex. Yes, lesbian sex between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis

The 67th Venice film festival runs from 1 to 11 September and will screen 79 full-length world premieres from 34 countries in total. Black Swan was the first of three opening films and is competing with 22 others for this year’s Golden Lion but don’t forget Aronofsky is something of a Venice favourite, winning the Golden Lion for The Wrestler, which starred Mickey Rourke, in 2008.