Nomadland (2020)

My Review

The Best Picture of 2020 is…..”Nomadland.” This story follows a 60-year-old woman who becomes a modern-day nomad, traveling the American West in her van. Director-screenwriter Chloe Zhao (“The Rider” 2017) put together a fascinating film which is not simply a travel picture, but is also a movie about people who live a “minimalist” lifestyle.

The cast includes Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Charlene Swankie, Peter Spears, and Bob Wells, an author and You-Tuber who is known for his advocacy of the minimalist lifestyle, not a usual subject for feature-length motion pictures. The watchable “Nomadland” was very popular at the box office for producers Frances McDormand and Chloe Zhao, Highwayman Films, Hear/Say Productions, Cor Cordium Productions, Searchlight Pictures, and The Walt Disney Company.

It was filmed across Nevada, Arizona, California, Nebraska, and South Dakota. “Nomadland” was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning three – Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress (McDormand). Non-winners include Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing (Zhao), and Best Cinematography (Joshua James Richards). Zhao was the first Asian-American to win Best Director (and only the second woman). McDormand is the first person in history in win both Best Picture and Best Actress Oscar for the same film. This was also her third Best Actress Oscar win.