Kathryn Bigelow Reveals the True Pioneer of Political Thrillers
Kathryn Bigelow credits Costa-Gavras and his 1969 film Z for shaping the political thriller, calling his impact on cinema unmatched.
Few filmmakers can claim a spot in the annals of film history quite like Kathryn Bigelow. As the first woman to nab a Best Director Oscar, she’s carved out a reputation for pushing boundaries and keeping punters on the edge of their seats. Her work, from the adrenaline-fuelled Point Break to the gritty The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, is known for its intensity and real-world inspiration. Interestingly, her films often pack more of a punch than those made by her male counterparts, which is saying something in an industry where blokes like Clint Eastwood are still going strong.
On a recent trip to the Criterion Closet in 2025, Bigelow gave fans a peek into her own film tastes. After picking out noir classics like Detour, the revolutionary The Battle of Algiers, and the controversial Straw Dogs, she paused to chat about a director who’s had a massive influence on her and the industry: Costa-Gavras. She mentioned bumping into the Greek filmmaker at an event, where she told him he’d practically invented the political thriller with his 1969 film Z.
“I love Costa-Gavras,”
she said, adding that his mark on cinema is
“like none other”.
How Z Changed the Game
It’s tough to picture a time before political thrillers were a staple, but Z set the standard for the genre. While films about scandals and dictatorships existed before, Costa-Gavras’ work paved the way for the kind of urgent, documentary-style storytelling that directors like Bigelow have since made their own. Z, a French production, is a thinly veiled take on the American-backed military regime that gripped Greece in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The story draws directly from the 1963 assassination of activist Gregoris Lambrakis, plunging viewers into the chaos of protests, police crackdowns, and the slow grind of the legal system.
The film’s style is raw and immediate, making the tension and volatility feel all too real. Most of the plot centres on the murder of a left-wing politician, played by Yves Montand, and the prosecutor’s dogged pursuit of the truth. But it’s the final minute that really drives home the horror of the events depicted.
Making a Stand Through Film
Living in France at the time, Costa-Gavras didn’t shy away from the real-life inspiration behind his story. The film opens with a blunt message:
“Any resemblance to real events and dead or living people is not a coincidence. It is INTENTIONAL.”
This was a direct call-out of the regime, a bold move that saw the film banned in Greece. More than fifty years on, Z still packs a punch, its realism and anxiety-inducing atmosphere as sharp as ever. For modern audiences, especially those in the US, it’s a confronting watch even now.
In 1970, Z made history as the first film to score nominations for both Best Picture and Best International Feature at the Oscars, taking home the latter. Costa-Gavras’ fearless approach and documentary flair set a new benchmark for the genre, one that filmmakers like Bigelow continue to draw from today.