Natalie Portman Plays Mentally Ill Mother In Directorial Debut [Watch Trailer]

Natalie Portman makes her directorial debut with the Hebrew-language period drama A Tale of Love and Darkness, based on Amos Oz’s novel which chronicles Oz’s memories of growing up in Jerusalem in the years before Israeli statehood. As ComingSoon reports, his was one of many Jewish families who moved to Palestine from Europe during the 1930s and 1940s to escape persecution.

Check out the trailer below. There are no English subtitles, so may you become intoxicated on the visuals.

Portman’s vision of A Tale of Love and Darkness debuted at the Cannes Film Festival back in May to mixed reviews, with a number of critics annoyed by the “melancholy tone and overall dreary feeling and sensibility,” according to CinemaBlend.

Natalie adapted the screenplay and co-produced alongside Ram Bergman (Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII). She stars as the mentally ill mother of acclaimed Israeli author Amos Oz. The tale follows him as he deals with his mother’s suicide as a child — to adulthood when he participates in the political unrest of his homeland. The film co-stars Amir Tessler, Makram Khoury, Shira Haas, Neta Riskin, and Gilad Kahana. There is currently no U.S. release date.

Natalie, who is a 2003 alumna of Harvard University, spoke to the graduating seniors back in May and encouraged them to take risks.

“Make use of the fact that you don’t doubt yourself too much right now because, as we get older, we get more realistic. Accept your lack of knowledge and use it as your asset.”

Oscar-winning Portman will speak about her acting career during a Q&A hosted by the Toronto International Film Festival at its Soirée gala fundraiser on Sept. 9, the Toronto Star reports. She is expected to speak about current and upcoming projects, including her starring role as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A previous Inquisitr article mentions how Natalie insisted that a woman direct the biopic, with Ginsburg herself saying,

“One thing, interesting, that she insisted on, it held up the project for a while. She said, ‘I want the director to be a woman. There are not enough women in this industry. There are many talented out there.'”

Tickets for the Natalie Portman event range from $300 to $5,000 (for multiple-seat “hosting packages”). Money raised will fund TIFF programming and exhibitions, along with workshops and “educational initiatives for youth and aspiring filmmakers.”

[Image courtesy of Coming Soon]

[Image courtesy Star24TV]