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 now." Although she was publicly lauded for her choice to become a director, many reviewers felt that the film itself did not live up to the high expectations, and regarded it as "less adventurous than many films in which [she] had starred". Regardless, it was a moderate box office success. Foster's final film appearance of the year came in a small role as a prostitute in "Shadows and Fog" (1991), directed by Woody Allen, with whom she had wanted to collaborate since the 1970s. The following year, Foster founded her own production company, Egg Pictures, a subsidiary of PolyGram Filmed