Zero Dark Thirty is a 2012 American historical drama film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. The film portrays the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden after the September 11 attacks in 2001. The central character of the film is Maya, a CIA agent who is focused on finding bin Laden.
The film chronicles the events leading up to the assassination of bin Laden on May 2, 2011, by Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in the city of Abbottabad, Pakistan. Maya, played by Jessica Chastain, tirelessly works towards tracking down bin Laden and building the case for his ultimate capture. The film shows how the CIA used various tactics, including enhanced interrogation techniques, to gather intelligence and locate bin Laden.
Zero Dark Thirty received critical acclaim for its portrayal of the hunt for bin Laden and the events surrounding his death. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.