As "Zero Dark Thirty" makes its debut in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee begins a review of contacts between CIA officials and the film's director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal.

The Oscar-winning director said she was "surprised" by the investigation and the dispute about interrogation techniques featured in the film, saying it strays from the film's focus.

SOUNDBITE: Kathryn Bigelow, director,saying (English):

"It sheds light on professionals in the intelligence community that really were dedicated over those ten years. It's their courage, their tenacity, and their commitment and sometimes their sacrifice that led to this successful operation. So and it puts the audience in the shoes of those individuals at the heart of the hunt."

"Zero Dark Thirty" is a dramatized account of the hunt for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and the U.S. Navy SEAL raid in which he was killed.

Boal said the investigation into whether the spy agency gave them inappropriate access to secret material may not be just about the film.

SOUNDBITE: Mark Boal, film maker, saying (English):

"My understanding is that some of this controversy probably pre-dates the films and these are controversial topics that are part of the discussion in the political arena."

The film has been screened in New York and Los Angeles and will be in theaters throughout the U.S. on January 11.