Kathryn Ann Bigelow, born 27th November 1951, is an acclaimed American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Her directorial debut came with the outlaw biker film The Loveless (1981). She ascended to prominence with her direction of thrillers Near Dark (1987), Blue Steel (1990), Point Break (1991), Strange Days (1995), and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002). However, it was with the war drama The Hurt Locker (2008) that Bigelow made a historic mark, becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director. Her later works include spy thriller Zero Dark Thirty (2012), and the crime drama Detroit (2017).

In addition to her film successes, Bigelow has directed episodes of NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street (1998–1999). Her stellar work in the Netflix film Cartel Land (2015) earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. Bigelow's early life was filled with creative endeavors, starting as a student of painting. Born in San Carlos, California, she studied at San Francisco Art Institute and Columbia University, where she honed her skills in theory, criticism and film-making. After her studies, she teamed up with composer Philip Glass in a real-estate venture before moving onto a successful career in film.