Zero Dark Thirty (2012) is a political action thriller that dramatizes the decade-long international manhunt for Osama bin Laden. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, the story centers on Maya (played by Jessica Chastain), a fictional CIA intelligence analyst who remains obsessively committed to finding the al-Qaeda leader after the September 11 attacks. Key Features and Plot Summary Zero Dark Thirty (2012) - Plot - IMDb