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Overview
Released in 2020 to critical acclaim, Nomadland was directed by Chloé Zhao and inspired by the non-fiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century
. Considered a western road movie in genre, the story follows Fern (Frances McDormand), an aging widow living out of her van during the aftermath of the Great Recession. Unable to retire due to minimal benefits, Fern works odd jobs all over the Western part of the United States. She joins a supportive community of other nomads while wrestling with the grief of losing her husband and her old way of life. The film examines the effects of the recession on elderly Americans via the resourcefulness of nomadic living while tackling existentialist topics of grief, loss, and letting go of the past.
Notably, the majority of the film’s cast were non-actors who portrayed themselves. Nomadland went on to win three Academy Awards in 2021: Best Picture, Best Actress (McDormand), and Best Director. Zhao made history as the first woman of color to win in the Directing category.
