Nomadland’s Chloe Zhao makes history as she becomes first woman of color to win the Best Director Oscar
Chloe Zhao made history at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday.
The Beijing, China native became the first woman of color to win the Best Director award for her drama film Nomadland, which she also wrote, edited and produced.
She would also go on to accept the Best Picture Oscar, alongside some of the cast, crew and producers.
Her trailblazing evening also included becoming the first woman to get four Oscar nominations in a single year, that also included the Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay categories.
History! Chloe Zhao, 39, became the first woman of color, and second woman overall, to win the Best Director Oscar at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday
Zhao, whose first feature film was 2015’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, is also now just the second woman to ever win the Oscar for directing; Kathryn Bigelow was the first for The Hurt Locker (2009).
She beat out a field that included Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round, David Fincher for Mank, Lee Isaac Chung for Minari, and Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman.
Nomadland, starring Frances McDormand, focuses on the lives of older Americans who live and travel in their vehicles, mainly due to economic reasons, as modern-day nomads.
Like her debut feature film, the Nomadland cast had a number of real-life nomads.
Making her mark: Her trailblazing evening also included becoming the first woman to get four Oscar nominations in a single year with the Best Director, Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay categories.
Emotional: In accepting the Oscar for Best Director, Zhao choose to focus on the goodness of people, by telling a story of a childhood memory she had with her father growing up in China
Dedication: ‘So this is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves,’ Zhao said as grabbed ahold of her Oscar trophy
After thanking the Academy and her fellow nominees, Zhoa directed her thoughts to the enormous task of finishing Nomadland.
‘What a crazy, one in a life journey, we went on together,’ she said of the experience.
She also revealed how she’s been ‘thinking a lot late about how I keep going when things get hard. And I think it goes back to something I learned when I was a kid.’
Giving thanks to her father, Zhao proceeded to tell a story of when she was growing up in China she and her dad would play a game where they would memorize classic Chinese poems and texts and recite them together.
One particular phrase, which translates to ‘people at birth were inherently good’, has stuck on her mind throughout the years.
Second win! Near the end of the ceremony filmmaker won the Best Picture award
Beaming: Zhao proudly posed with her Best Picture Oscar in the press room of Union Station
The inspiration: Nomadland was inspired by Jessica Bruder’s non-fiction book -Nomadland: Surviving America In The Twenty-First Century
‘And those six letters had such a great impact on me when I was a kid. And I still truly believe them today,’ the 39-year-old explained.
‘Even though sometimes it may seem like the opposite is true. But I have always found goodness in the people I met everywhere I met in the world.’
Humbled by the accolade, and her history-making night at the Oscars, Zhao concluded by sharing a heartfelt message to her fellow humans all over the globe.
‘So this is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves,’ she said as grabbed ahold of her Oscar trophy.
‘And to hold on to the goodness in each other. No matter how difficult it is to do that. And this is for you, you inspire me to keep going. Thank you.’
In a nod of respect, the director hit the red carpet before the ceremony with real-life nomad Charlene Swankie, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated motion picture.
Stylin’: The Beijing, China-born filmmaker wore a long dress and raven tresses braided down on both sides while on the red carpet at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles
Nod of respect: The director hit the red carpet before the ceremony with real-life nomad Charlene Swankie, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated motion picture
93RD ACADEMY AWARDS WINNERS
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland – WINNER
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Golden: Frances McDormand, Chloe Zhao, Mollye Asher and Dan Janvey (seen left to right) as Nomadland won Best Picture
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland – WINNER
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman – The Father
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Youn Yuh-jung – Minari – WINNER
Sweet: Youn Yuh-jung won Best Supporting Actress for Minari
Best Music (Original Score)
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul – WINNER
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You – WINNER
Opera
Yes-People
Best Live Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers – WINNER
White Eye
Best International Feature Film
Another Round – WINNER
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Talented: Thomas Vinterberg accepted Best International Film for Another Round
Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Soul
Sound of Metal – WINNER
Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank – WINNER
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Music (Original Song)
H.E.R. – Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER
Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest
Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead
Speak Now – One Night in Miami…
H.E.R. won Best Original Song for Judas and the Black Messiah’s Fight for You
Best Director
Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round
David Fincher – Mank
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland – WINNER
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Trailblazer: Chloe Zhao is the first woman of color to win Best Director
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Anthony Hopkins – The Father – WINNER
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Gary Oldman – Mank
Steven Yeun – Minari
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER
Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul – WINNER
Wolfwalkers
Dynamic: Dana Murray (L) and Pete Docter won Best Animated Feature for Soul
Best Costume Design
Emma
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER
Mank
Mulan
Pinnochio
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father – WINNER
Nomadland
One Night in Miami…
The White Tiger
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman – WINNER
Shaka King and Will Berson – Judas and the Black Messiah
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Darius Marder and Abraham Marder – Sound of Metal
Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Blooming lovely: Emerald Fennell won Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman
Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher – WINNER
Time
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette – WINNER
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal – WINNER
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank – WINNER
News of the World
Tenet
Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet – WINNER
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER
Mank
Pinocchio
Source: Read Full Article