The prestigious New York Film Critics Circle have given Zero Dark Thirty, Kathryn Bigelow’s thriller about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, a new shove in the direction of Oscar glory.
The critics group named the film best of 2012 and Bigelow best director. The group also highlighted Daniel Day-Lewis in Steven Spielberg’s likely Oscar contender Lincoln for best actor. The historical biopic also saw Sally Field winning best supporting actress and Tony Kushner best screenplay.
Zero Dark Thirty centres on a female CIA analyst – played by Jessica Chastain – credited as a key force in the hunt for the Al-Qaeda chief, killed by US Navy SEALs in an audacious dead-of-night raid on his hiding place in Pakistan.
Entertainment Weekly tipped the film as a possible nominee for best film, best director, best screenplay and best leading actress for Chastain, who was Oscar-nominated for her supporting role in last year’s civil rights drama The Help.