Black Swan is a psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky. Nina Sayers, played by Natalie Portman, is a young dancer working with a ballet company in New York City. The ballet company is preparing for a production of Swan Lake. The lead must be able to portray both the innocent, fragile White Swan and the dark Black Swan. Nina is selected for the role. Nina starts seeing visual illusions after this. One evening Lily appears at Nina’s door and invites her for a night out. Nina is hesitant at first but joins Lily after having an argument with her mother.
The night before the ballet’s opening; Nina continues to experience strong hallucinations. Nina awakes the night of the opening performance locked in her bedroom with her mother. After violently forcing her mother to let her leave, Nina arrives at the theater. Nina goes to her dressing room and finds Lily there, dressed in the Black Swan costume. As Lily announces her intention to play the Black Swan, she transforms into Nina herself. Nina shoves her duplicate into the mirror. Nina hides Lily’s body, returns to the stage and dances as the Black Swan passionately and sensually, growing black feathers, her arms becoming black wings as she finally loses herself and transforms into a black swan.
Nina realizes her fight with Lily was another hallucination, but sees the mirror is still shattered. Back on stage, Nina dances passionately and seamlessly as the White Swan. The theater erupts in thunderous applause as Nina falls. Though Nina lies wounded , she is content and satisfied with her performance.