While America’s hunt for it’s “most wanted man’ intensified exactly on September 11, 2001, almost six years ago, a certain filmmaker conceived the idea of giving a celluloid interpretation to the high profile operation that was unleashed to capture Osama bin Laden. As Kathryn Bigelow prepared the ground for her film that would subsequently acquire the name Zero Dark Thirty, in the meanwhile in 2009, she managed to win an Oscar for another directorial venture called Hurt Locker.
From a film director’s perspective, Kathryn made it her business to keep track of the decade-long Osama trail, however as the real script unfolded a surprise on May 2, 2011, the reel story too could not escape the winds of change.
“I had been working on Zero Dark Thirty, (the title is a military term for half past mid-night, the time when US Navy Seals launched the raid at the Laden compound in Abbotabad, Pakistan) for the past six years and the matter and ending was very different, until President Obama announced “the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden” and that was the time when Mark Boal, the writer started talking to sources. It was all based on a first hand account, so I felt very vivid, very vital and very immediate which was very exciting as a filmmaker,” reveals the director.
The acclaimed director known for her penchant of exploring news worthy issues, justifies her approach with the words, “I started making movies as I believed that film has the potential to heal. I react to movies that have the ability to be provocative or challenge you, that can take some risks. High impact movies appeal to me and that’s what I respond to as a viewer, so naturally as a director I embrace this particular brand of cinema. I don’t want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going.”
On inquiring about the sources that kept her engaged to the subject matter and helped her shape the story, she says, “I read the news prints and the books for precision. Rest is all based on the first hand accounts from the on ground officials and people involved in the manhunt.”
Delving further, when asked about the controversies that surfaced with accusatory fingers being pointed at that research team on “gaining access to classified information with some help from the Obama administration,” the acclaimed filmmaker clears the air.
“We did a lot of research on it, we did our home work but we did not receive any classified information. The administration did not help us in any way. In fact there were investigations to verify if there were any officials helping us, cause it was the question of the country’s security.”
In fact, detaching from the political course, Kathryn assures that she has presented the biggest manhunt in history simply as a creative pursuit.
“Making the movie we had no agenda in mind or we had no point to prove. We just wanted to tell the story through the eyes and ears of the on ground officials. Our only intention is that people watch the movie and judge for themselves,” clarifies the director. “I said it before and I am saying again, depiction is not endorsement. Otherwise no artist would paint inhuman practices, no author could write about them and no filmmaker research into such subjects.”
The film has been nominated for Academy awards and with the Golden Globe already in her kitty, Jessica Chastain who plays a CIA agent is emerging as a strong contender for the Best Actress category at this year’s Oscars. The director definitely looks impressed with her main lead.
“I chose Jessica primarily because she fits the role. Besides, I needed very earthy people who don’t carry the aura of being a star always. She worked really hard for the character and did her bit of study of CIA, how it works and about Osama. I would like to congratulate her on winning the Best actress Golden Globe awards and wish her luck for the Oscar,” feels a beaming Bigelow.
Finally, sharing her views on being a woman director, “ A filmmaker is a filmmaker. I lean on not to look through a lens that is separated in respect to gender or anything. I would be proud to carry the mantle if what I do can serve for one person. Let’s say I can be a kind of role model for other women directors to prove that if you’re persistent enough, you can attain what you have in your sights. When any film gets made it’s a bit of a miracle. Certainly a film with substance! It’s perhaps partially the sheer persistence of the core filmmaking team and not gender-specific. Personally I don’t take “no” well. I think that’s part of it,” she signs off. Zero Dark Thirty is set for release in India on February 15.