Aaron Darronofsky’s Black Swan (2010) is a beautiful visual rendition of how perfection means striking a balance between the darkness and the light in you. The narrative explores nature’s duality both philosophically and visually, through Nina’s (Natalie Portman) journey, as she finally transforms into the Black Swan, but at the cost of her own life.In this article, we’re analyzing how every scene and almost every frame in the Black Swan realigns the narrative to its central theme, nature’s duality.The StoryBlack Swan follows Nina, a ballet dancer at the New York City Ballet Company. Ambitious and talented, Nina’s identity centers on her art. When the company announces a new show, their own rendition of the Black Swan, and the director announces that he is looking for a lead, Nina is determined to nab the role.In the audition, Nina realizes that while she is perfectly encapsulating the essence of the White Swan, Odette, she is far from being the Black Swan, Odelia, despite her experience, talent, and years of practice. Knowing that the director is hell-bent on casting a single dancer to play both roles, Nina begins a desperate pursuit of perfection in her art.Even after bagging the part, Nina is still unable to encapsulate the Black Swan. Her obsession with perfection and ambition starts taking a toll on her mental health. Things go from bad to worse when Lily (Mila Kunis), a talented and promising dancer but a comparatively newer addition to the ballet troupe, shows a naturalistic sync with the...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today