Zoe Kravitz makes film directorial debut with power trip thriller 'Blink Twice'

By Hanna Rantala

LONDON (Reuters) - Zoe Kravitz says her directorial debut "Blink Twice", which she also co-wrote and produced, is a tale about power dynamics between men and women that was born out of her own experiences.

In the psychological thriller, waitress Frida, played by Naomi Ackie, and her friend think they are getting a lucky break when tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) invites them to his private tropical island.

A luxurious holiday with endless partying with Slater's friends ensues, but soon Frida starts noticing that something is amiss. As she starts digging deeper, Frida discovers shocking truths beneath the destination's perfect veneer and the vacation turns into a battle for survival.

"It literally came from my experience. It's very personal," Kravitz, 35, said at the film's London premiere on Monday.

"It was really an expression of what it feels like, I think, for a lot of women living in the world," she said of the writing process.

"I felt like there are so many things that women have to do or are expected to do that have become so normalised that we don't even speak about them. And so I really wanted to find a way to explore the complexity and the absurdity of that," Kravitz said.

Kravitz and Tatum, who got engaged last year, were brought together by the film. Tatum had not met Kravitz when she offered him the role of Slater.

"This movie has changed my complete and utter whole life," said Tatum, who also produced the film, adding that the role was unlike anything he has tackled over his almost two-decade-long career.

"Usually I've always had some sort of connection, I bring some sort of a personal aspect of my life into whatever character I'm playing. This movie is just not that movie. It is the first thing that I've ever done that is just so far away from me or from really anybody that I even know," he said.

The film's ensemble cast also includes actors Adria Arjona, Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan and Haley Joel Osment.

"Blink Twice" is out in cinemas globally from Aug. 21. (This story has been corrected to fix the headline to say that Kravitz is making her directorial debut, not film debut)

(Reporting by Hanna Rantala; Editing by Sandra Maler)