Venice Film Festival to open with Black Swan

American director Darren Aronofsky's psychological thriller Black Swan will open this year's Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 1.

Aronofsky won the Golden Lion, the top prize, at the 2008 Venice festival for The Wrestler, which later earned a best acting Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for star Mickey Rourke. Aronofsky also directed Requiem for a Dream.

Black Swan stars Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman as two dancers locked in a twisted friendship andrivalry at their ballet company until one dancer becomes frighteningly perfect in her portrayal of the duplicitous swan queen in Swan Lake.

The film, set at the New York Ballet, also stars Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder and Vincent Cassel. It will make its premiere at Venice and is scheduled for commercial release later in the fall.

The 67th Venice Film Festival is scheduled for Sept. 1-11. It is considered one of the top three European film festivals with Cannes and Berlin.

A full schedule is to be released later this month.