Nobody knows what the next few months hold for the U.S. As far as the current situation, racial injustice rearing its ugly head, a drastic economic downturn and a deadly pandemic are just three of the reasons why this country might not seem like a desirable place to live in right now. Many might be thinking it’s time to get the hell out of the country or—at the very least—go elsewhere in the 50 states. A new film called “Nomadland” sees a woman strike out on her own to see America through the perspective of its original occupants.
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Chloe Zhao is the editor, co-producer, screenwriter and director of the project, itself an adaptation of the 2017 non-fiction work “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder. It is only Zhao’s third feature film after “The Rider” and “Songs My Brothers Taught Me.” Regardless, she has won the BONNIE Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, both her former and latter films earned multiple Spirit nominations and she was the recipient of the C.I.C.A.E. award at Cannes. In the midst of filming this picture, Zhao says, “Having grown up in the cities of China and England, I’ve always been deeply drawn to the open road—an idea I find to be quintessentially American—the endless search for what’s beyond the horizon.”
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Two-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand (“Fargo” & “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) plays Fern, the contemporary traveler on a journey through life. Or is it a life journey? Either way, she shares screentime with Oscar nominee David Strathairn (“Good Night, and Good Luck”) and real-life people who would be Fern’s peers including Bob Wells, Linda May and the singularly-named Swankie.
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Here’s the synopsis:
Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. The third feature film from director Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND features real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West.
“Nomadland”—distributed by Searchlight Pictures—is set to have its world premiere at both the Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival on September 11th. The film opens in regular release on December 4, 2020. Ride shotgun with McDormand on this meaningful trip and check out a first look below.
