Jodie Foster production, and he later credited her for helping him define the character. Released in February 1991, "The Silence of the Lambs" became one of the biggest hits of the year, grossing close to $273 million, with a positive critical reception. Foster received largely positive reviews and won Academy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA awards for her portrayal of Starling; "Silence" won five Academy Awards overall, becoming one of the few films to win in all main categories. In contrast, some reviewers criticized the film as misogynist for its focus on brutal murders of women, and homophobic due to its portrayal of
Jodie Foster "Buffalo Bill" as bisexual and transgender. Much of the criticism was directed towards Foster, whom the critics alleged was herself a lesbian. Despite the controversy, the film is considered a modern classic: Starling and Lecter are included on the American Film Institute's top ten of the greatest film heroes and villains, and the film is preserved in the National Film Registry. Later in 1991, Foster also starred in the unsuccessful low-budget thriller "Catchfire", which had been filmed before "Silence", but was released after it in an attempt to profit from its success. In October 1991, Foster released her first feature