'' The Hurt Locker '' premiered at the 2008 Venice International Film Festival before it was released in the United States on June 26 , 2009 by Summit Entertainment . The film earned near universal acclaim from critics , who praised Bigelow 's directing , the cast , writing , and action sequences . The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won six , including Best Picture , Best Director and Best Original Screenplay , making it the first Best Picture winner by a female director . The film grossed $ 49.2 million worldwide
2008 Venice International Film Festival
65th Venice International Film Festival
The Hurt Locker