The Aviator is a 2004 American biographical drama film, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film, which centers on the life of aviation pioneer Howard Hughes, draws largely upon a biography by Charles Higham.Vanneman, Alan. "The Aviator: Marty and Leo Do Howard." Bright Lights Film Journal, Issue 47, February 2005. Retrieved: May 3, 2009. The film centers on Hughes' life from the late 1920s to 1947, during which time he gained success as a film producer and an aviation magnate while simultaneously growing more unstable due to obsessive-compulsive disorder. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning five.