Natalie Portman's debut work as a director, A Tale Of Love And Darkness, has been on the receiving end of protests from ultra-Orthodox Jews. Arguing that it is immodest, they have threatened to disrupt filming, though the crew say they have yet to be approached directly.
A Tale Of Love And Darkness is adapted from the memoir of the same name by radical intellectual Amos Oz. Although Portman has been accused of insensitivity for wanting to film some scenes close to religious buildings, it is unclear exactly which aspects of the film have upset the protestors. In the past, ultra-Orthodox campaigners in the area have argued that itt is immodest for women to appear in films at all, as they might then be watched by men. This led to a movement among Israeli women filmmakers to make films that only feature women for female-only audiences to watch.
Portman, who is herself Jewish and was born in Jerusalem, is to play Oz's mother in the film. Her presence has been welcomed by the city's mayor, Nir Barkat, who has personally visited the set.
