Claim: Missing stars Sissy Spacek.

Missing -LRB- stylized as missing . -RRB- is a 1982 American historical drama film directed by Costa-Gavras and starring Sissy Spacek , Jack Lemmon , Melanie Mayron , John Shea , Janice Rule and Charles Cioffi . It is based on the true story of American journalist Charles Horman , who disappeared in the bloody aftermath of the US-backed Chilean coup of 1973 that deposed the democratically elected socialist President Salvador Allende . Set largely during the days and weeks following Horman 's disappearance , the movie depicts his father and wife searching to determine his fate . The film examines the relationship between Horman 's wife Beth -LRB- Spacek -RRB- and her father-in-law , American businessman Ed Horman -LRB- Lemmon -RRB- .   The film premiered at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival where it was jointly awarded the Palme d'Or -LRB- with Yol -RRB- . The film was released theatrically on February 12 , 1982 . It received four nominations at the 55th Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Actor in a Leading Role -LRB- Lemmon -RRB- , Best Actress in a Leading Role -LRB- Spacek -RRB- and winning Best Writing -LRB- Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -RRB- . Missing grossed $ 16 million against its $ 5 million budget . The film was banned in Chile during Augusto Pinochet 's dictatorship , even though neither Chile nor Pinochet is ever mentioned by name -LRB- although the Chilean cities of Viña del Mar and Santiago are -RRB- .