The psychological thriller “Black Swan” was introduced by Dr. Hannah Schwadron on Tuesday at the Henry Madden Library. She gave a lecture that looked at Jewish actresses in American films. Actresses Fanny Brice, Barbra Streisand and Natalie Portman were her main focus.

The Jewish Studies Film and Lecture Series was sponsored by the Jewish Certificate Program, the Jewish Studies Association and was a part of National Women’s History Month.

“It was potentially a Jewish horror film,” said Schwadron, who is a dance history professor at Florida State University.

Schwadron said the two pieces that came before Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” posed an interest to her. She said she liked the parodies from Fanny Brice and Barbra Streisand because they were comedic. Schwadron also said she started to think how “Black Swan” worked as a horror film and she connected the dots shortly after.

“They make monsters out of their female leads,” said Schwadron in regards to “Black Swan.”

Swan Lake’s Act II, “The Lakeside Scene,” was one of a few clips Schwadron showed during her lecture. She created a connection among the audience with her high levels of energy and provided commentary on each clip.

Clips from Fanny Brice’s “Be Yourself” and Barbra Streisand’s “Funny Girl” were also shown during the lecture before showing the film staring Natalie Portman. Schwadron said both were parodies of Swan Lake.

“The role of the White Swan has embodied the promise of transcendent perfection: the divine, ethereal and impossibly light female form,” Schwadron said.

Dr. Jill Fields, professor of history and Jewish Studies Association faculty advisor, said that the film is about ballet dancers who staged the ballet Swan Lake.

“There’s a longer history of””let’s say cultural takes on Swan Lake,” Fields said.

­She said that actress Fanny Brice was a popular comedian during the 20th century — a Jewish woman who formed a parody of ballet dancers from Swan Lake. Fields also said that Barbra Streisand did a biographical film of Fanny Brice which was known as “Funny Girl.”

­“Students are typically the vast majority of the audience,” Fields said. “We also do get faculty and members of the community.”

­Fields said that the event was publicized by the Jewish Federation of Central California and a press release was put out by the University of Media. She said the support was appreciated.

Schwadron said as she clinched her fist up in the air, “This is not only some ballet this is the ballet.”