Kathryn Bigelow Salutes Costa-Gavras for Shaping Political Thrillers
Kathryn Bigelow hails Costa-Gavras and his 1969 film Z for redefining the political thriller, crediting his bold approach as unmatched in cinema history.
Few filmmakers can claim a spot in the annals of cinema quite like Kathryn Bigelow. As the first woman to clinch the ‘Best Director’ Oscar, she’s long been a force to reckon with, consistently pushing the envelope since the early ‘80s. Her work, from the adrenaline-fuelled Point Break to the gritty, near-futuristic Strange Days, and the tense, real-world dramas The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, has always leaned into the raw, the urgent, and the palpably real. There’s a certain irony in the fact that her films often feel more traditionally masculine than those of many of her male peers, especially in a landscape where Clint Eastwood is still very much in the game.
During a recent trip to the Criterion Closet in 2025, Bigelow offered a rare peek into her own cinematic influences. After picking out noir classics and controversial thrillers, she paused to reflect on a director whose impact on the genre—and on her own career—has been profound: Costa-Gavras. She recounted a recent encounter with the Greek filmmaker, telling him that his 1969 work Z had, in her view, practically invented the political thriller.
“I love Costa-Gavras,”
she declared, describing his contribution to film as
“like none other”.
Redefining the Genre
It’s difficult to picture a world without the political thriller as we know it. While films tackling real-life scandals and authoritarian regimes existed before, Z marked a turning point. Costa-Gavras’s approach—melding documentary realism with edge-of-your-seat suspense—set a new standard. The film, though French, is a thinly veiled account of the American-supported military junta that gripped Greece in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, drawing direct inspiration from the 1963 assassination of activist Gregoris Lambrakis.
What sets Z apart is its immersive style. The audience is thrust into the chaos: protestors clashing with police, violence erupting in the streets, and a relentless sense of volatility. The narrative follows the murder of a prominent leftist politician, played by Yves Montand, and the dogged prosecutor determined to uncover the truth. Yet, it’s the final minute that delivers the film’s most chilling blow, leaving a lasting impression that lingers long after the credits roll.
Unflinching Realism
Living in France as an expatriate, Costa-Gavras made no attempt to disguise the real events underpinning his story. The film opens with a pointed message:
“Any resemblance to real events and dead or living people is not a coincidence. It is INTENTIONAL.”
This was no subtle allegory—it was a direct challenge to a regime, a bold move that saw the film banned in Greece. More than fifty years on, Z remains as tense and immediate as ever, its realism undimmed by time. For modern viewers, especially those in the US, it’s a bracing watch—one that arguably deserves a content warning even now.
In 1970, Z made history as the first film to be nominated for both ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best International Feature’ at the Oscars, ultimately taking home the latter. Costa-Gavras’s fearless storytelling and innovative style have left an indelible mark, not just on Bigelow, but on the entire landscape of political cinema.