While she hasn't been quite as busy over the last few years, Natalie Portman is looking to change that. Of the numerous projects she has coming up, one that debuted at Cannes was her directorial debut, A Tale of Love and Darkness, an adaptation of Amos Oz's memoir. Reviews for the film were somewhat mixed, but now an international trailer has arrived to show what Portman is capable of behind the camera.
Portman co-stars in the film which details Oz's (played by Amir Tessler) childhood in 1940s Jerusalem and close relationship with his mother during the founding of the state of Israel. There's no English dialogue as the story is told in Hebrew, but the emotions are clear and the cinematography is striking thanks to cinematographer Slawomir Idziak. who worked on Proof of Life and Gattaca. Here is the complete synopsis:
A family saga and a magical self-portrait of a writer who witnessed the birth of a nation and lived through its turbulent history. A Tale of Love and Darkness is the story of a boy who grows up in war-torn Jerusalem, in a small apartment crowded with books in twelve languages and relatives speaking nearly as many. The story of an adolescent whose life has been changed forever by his mother’s suicide. The story of a man who leaves the constraints of his family and community to join a kibbutz, change his name, marry, have children. The story of a writer who becomes an active participant in the political life of his nation.
A Tale of Love and Darkness has yet to gain a U.S. release date, but if it emerges as part of the TIFF lineup that could help change its fortunes.
'A Tale of Love and Darkness' - Tráiler V.O. (HD) by El Séptimo Arte
