November 22, 1963. It’s a day long remembered in modern American history as the moment when John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding through Dealey Plaza. A true tragedy that invoked an outpouring of sorrow from across the globe, director Pablo Larraín will be gunning to chronicle that story through a different lens – specifically, through the lens of JFK’s significant other and First Lady, Jackie.
With a worldwide premiere already under its belt thanks to last week’s Venice Film Festival, Jackie is now being prepped for screening at the imminent Toronto International Film Festival and to ramp up excitement, The Film Stage has relayed the first clip for Larraín’s star-studded political drama.
Focusing on the immediate fallout from JFK’s assassination, here we see a sombre Portman sussing out funeral arrangements. Delicate and remarkably graceful, this first peek at Jackie in motion is beautifully shot. Couple this with the subject matter at hand, not to mention Portman’s commanding performance, and you have all the makings of a genuine awards contender.
Also starring Greta Gerwig, Peter Sarsgaard, Max Casella, Beth Grant and John Hurt, Jackie has also recruited Darren Aronofsky to produce the picture, having already directed Portman in the Oscar-winning psychological drama, Black Swan.
There’s no mention of a theatrical release date for Jackie at this time, though Pablo Larraín’s biopic will screen at Toronto later this month. Below, you’ll find a collection of photos spotlighting the lead cast, followed by the official TIFF synopsis.
With Jackie, Pablo Larraín makes a brave choice by retelling this story solely through the eyes of Jacqueline Kennedy, casting Natalie Portman in a lead performance that is deeply intelligent and carefully measured. Jackie was as romantic a public figure as her husband, an outwardly poised partner who was placed under great scrutiny yet played her role with consummate grace. Structuring his film around Theodore H. White’s LIFE magazine interview with the First Lady at Hyannis Port a mere week after the assassination, Larraín plunges us into the devastation using a series of finely crafted flashbacks that cover the fateful day in Dallas, Jackie’s return to the White House, arrangements for the President’s funeral, and her time spent accompanying her husband’s coffin to Arlington Cemetery.
