<p><br /> The day after opening the Venice Film Festival, Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky says getting the movie made was not easy:<br /> </p><p><br /> "Everyone passed on it. Even after The Wrestler, everyone passed on it. And even with Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel in it, everyone passed on it.<br /> </p><p><br /> "I couldn't get it made. I remember going to Natalie and being like, it may not happen and then Fox Searchlight came in at last minute and kind of saved us."<br /> </p><p><br /> Natalie Portman stars in the dark psychological drama about a ballerina who finally lands the lead in a production but loses her grip on reality as the pressure builds.<br /> </p><p><br /> The 29-year-old actress says she is always in search of a challenge when picking a role:<br /> </p><p><br /> "With everything I do I want to learn something new. And part of that, too, is never being a snob.<br /> </p><p><br /> I never want to try and just make like, arty, intellectual films, I love those, of course, as experiences, but I also love big, more traditional entertainment type movies. And that's always trying different things and always challenging myself is definitely my aspiration."<br /> </p><p><br /> Black Swan in out in UK cinemas in early 2011.<br /> </p>
