That Natalie Portman is a) Israeli, and B) a fluent Hebrew speaker is old news at this point. Still, there’s something exciting about watching the first trailer for Portman’s directorial debut, a film adaptation – in Hebrew, of course – of Israeli author Amos Oz’s autobiographical memoirs, A Tale of Love and Darkness.
The film stars Portman, as Oz’s mother Fania, alongside Gilad Kahana, playing Oz’s father Arieh, and Amir Tessler, as Amos Oz, himself. Set in the years leading up to Israel’s 1948 independence, A Tale of Love and Darkness follows Oz as he comes of age in a Jerusalem undergoing seismic changes before his very eyes.
Via Slashfilm, here’s the official 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.
Portman’s film debuted at this years Cannes film festival to middling reviews. There is no US release date set, as of now.
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