Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Black Swan (film)
open-in-new
<p><i>Black Swan</i> is a 2010 American <a href="/facts/Psychological_horror/NDClp2bk">psychological horror</a> film directed by <a href="/facts/Darren_Aronofsky/rXwLudTv">Darren Aronofsky</a>. The screenplay was written by <a href="/facts/Mark_Heyman/jGMcTAn6">Mark Heyman</a>, John McLaughlin, and Andres Heinz, based on an original story by Heinz. The film stars <a href="/facts/Natalie_Portman/AF0DIScu">Natalie Portman</a>, <a href="/facts/Vincent_Cassel/fCtaaSmI">Vincent Cassel</a>, <a href="/facts/Mila_Kunis/p0S6eqt6">Mila Kunis</a>, <a href="/facts/Barbara_Hershey/VaobQtMB">Barbara Hershey</a>, and <a href="/facts/Winona_Ryder/UXUQGR7o">Winona Ryder</a>. The plot revolves around a production of <a href="/facts/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky/IhyaS2Q8">Tchaikovsky</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Swan_Lake/x3QUaT0c">Swan Lake</a></i> ballet by the <a href="/facts/New_York_City_Ballet/4yHCPYSs">New York City Ballet</a> company. The production requires a ballerina to play the innocent and fragile White Swan, for which the committed dancer Nina (Portman) is a perfect fit, as well as the dark and sensual Black Swan, which are qualities better embodied by the new rival Lily (Kunis). Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the part, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into madness. </p><p>Aronofsky conceived the premise by connecting his viewings of a production of <i>Swan Lake</i> with an unrealized screenplay about <a href="/facts/Understudy/K4rVyCVw">understudies</a> and the notion of being haunted by a double, similar to the folklore surrounding <a href="/facts/Doppelg%C3%A4nger/rpgStIar">doppelgängers</a>. Aronofsky cites <a href="/facts/Fyodor_Dostoevsky/cbQ5REbv">Fyodor Dostoevsky</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/The_Double_(Dostoevsky_novel)/B8TSvMFJ">The Double</a></i> as another inspiration for the film. The director also considered <i>Black Swan</i> a companion piece to his 2008 film <i><a href="/facts/The_Wrestler_(2008_film)/BwUG9U8r">The Wrestler</a></i>, with both films involving demanding performances for different kinds of art. He and Portman first discussed the project in 2000, and after a brief attachment to <a href="/facts/Universal_Studios/2xUCraUP">Universal Studios</a>, <i>Black Swan</i> was produced in New York City in 2009 by <a href="/facts/Fox_Searchlight_Pictures/NXXejHjx">Fox Searchlight Pictures</a>. Portman and Kunis trained in ballet for several months before filming began. </p><p><i>Black Swan</i> premiered as the opening film for the <a href="/facts/67th_Venice_International_Film_Festival/7WUCV62M">67th Venice International Film Festival</a> on September 1, 2010. It had a <a href="/facts/Limited_release/5C210wuf">limited release</a> in the United States starting December 3, 2010 and opened in <a href="/facts/Wide_release/ChJh6N1t">wide release</a> on December 17. Upon release, it received critical acclaim with particular praise toward Aronofsky's direction and the performances of Portman, and Kunis; it was also a commercial success, grossing $330 million worldwide against a $13 million budget. The film received five nominations at the <a href="/facts/83rd_Academy_Awards/pzr7sChQ">83rd Academy Awards</a>, including for the <a href="/facts/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture/C6komTsX">Best Picture</a>, with Portman winning <a href="/facts/Academy_Award_for_Best_Actress/gdtCoxC8">Best Actress</a>, and five nominations at the <a href="/facts/68th_Golden_Globe_Awards/pJ30se6w">68th Golden Globe Awards</a>, including for the <a href="/facts/Golden_Globe_Award_for_Best_Motion_Picture_%E2%80%93_Drama/lBmcSHDe">Best Motion Picture – Drama</a>, with Portman winning <a href="/facts/Golden_Globe_Award_for_Best_Actress_in_a_Motion_Picture_%E2%80%93_Drama/QcRUrg3w">Best Actress</a>. </p>