Nomadland film by Chinese filmmaker Chloe Zhao wins top Hollywood director prize

Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland won this year’s top Hollywood directing award on Saturday – the final major guild ceremony before the Oscars, and an important late bellwether in Tinseltown’s pandemic-delayed and mainly virtual award season.

Zhao spent her entire victory speech praising her fellow nominees, who must now be wondering what they can do to catch up with her critically adored and awards-dominating US road movie before the Academy Awards on April 25.

“I want to thank you guys for teaching me so much, and for showing your support – you have made this journey so much more special,” the 39-year-old director, previously best known for indie movie The Rider, told rival directors via video call.

Those filmmakers included David Fincher (Mank), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) and Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) – who will also vie for the best director Oscar.

But Zhao – who becomes only the second woman to ever win the top Directors Guild of America prize, after Kathryn Bigelow for 2008’s The Hurt Locker – is entrenched as the strong favourite.

While the DGA last year plumped for Sam Mendes (1917) over Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), they have correctly predicted the victor the previous six years running.

Nomadland, a semifictional drama, follows a community of older van-dwelling Americans left behind by the Great Recession, who forge a new, transient life off the grid in the American West.