Nomadland (2020): Van Life Visions and the Vanishing American Dream

In the shimmering heat of the Nevada desert, a lone woman pilots her battered van through landscapes that whisper of freedom and forgotten promises.

Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland captures a raw slice of contemporary America, blending documentary realism with quiet fiction to paint a portrait of those who live on society’s edges. Released amid the upheavals of 2020, the film resonates as a meditation on loss, resilience, and the pull of the open road, drawing from real-life nomads to craft an intimate odyssey.

  • Explores the authentic lives of modern nomads, incorporating non-professional actors into a narrative of grief and reinvention.
  • Showcases stunning cinematography that turns vast Western landscapes into characters of their own, evoking timeless road movie traditions.
  • Examines themes of economic displacement and human connection, cementing its place as a modern classic with profound cultural echoes.

Fern’s Road to Reinvention

Fern, portrayed with understated power by Frances McDormand, begins her journey in the ghost town of Empire, Nevada, where the gypsum plant that sustained her life with her late husband has shuttered. This opening sets a tone of quiet devastation, mirroring the real economic hollowing out of rural America. Zhao structures the narrative not as a linear plot but as a series of vignettes, following Fern as she packs her possessions into a white Ford Transit van, transforming it into a mobile home with makeshift shelves, a propane stove, and a bed wedged above the driver’s seat. Her first stops include seasonal jobs at an Amazon fulfilment centre, where workers don yellow vests and scan packages under fluorescent lights, a stark contrast to the freedom she seeks.

The film’s synopsis unfolds through encounters that feel profoundly real. Fern attends the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous in Quartzsite, Arizona, a gathering of van-dwellers sharing tips on solar panels and black tanks. Here, she meets Linda May, a real nomad playing herself, who recounts her escape from an abusive marriage. Bob Wells, another actual figure central to the nomad community, hosts seminars on self-sufficiency, his bearded face and folksy wisdom becoming a beacon for the displaced. These interactions propel Fern northward to the Badlands, where sugar beet harvests demand backbreaking labour, and southward to Wall Drug for tourist gigs. Zhao weaves in moments of profound solitude, like Fern washing her hair in a laundromat sink or gazing at the stars from her rooftop perch.

Key relationships deepen the emotional core. Swankie, a terminally ill artist dying of brain cancer, teaches Fern to embrace impermanence during a rafting trip on the Colorado River. Her final days, marked by distributing her jewellery and ashes to the wind, underscore the film’s theme of graceful surrender. Peter, a Navajo man with his own losses, offers fleeting companionship, highlighting the transient bonds that sustain nomad life. Through these, Nomadland avoids melodrama, letting silences and glances convey the weight of unspoken sorrows.

Production drew heavily from Jessica Bruder’s 2017 book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, which chronicled post-recession wanderers. Zhao spent months embedding with nomads, earning trust to cast them alongside McDormand. Filming spanned 2018-2019 across seven states, using natural light and handheld cameras to preserve authenticity. The result feels less like a scripted drama and more like an immersive ethnography, challenging viewers to question what constitutes home in an era of instability.

Landscapes as Living Characters

Joshua James Richards’ cinematography transforms the American West into a vast, indifferent canvas. Sweeping drone shots capture the Painted Desert’s crimson buttes and the Black Hills’ golden aspens, their scale dwarfing human figures to emphasise isolation. Close-ups linger on cracked earth, fluttering laundry lines, and frost-rimed windshields, grounding the epic vistas in tactile details. Zhao and Richards, partners in life and art, prioritised long takes that allow wind to whip through sagebrush or clouds to drift unhurriedly, evoking Terrence Malick’s contemplative style while rooting it in documentary grit.

Night scenes glow with the soft flicker of Coleman lanterns, casting shadows that dance across Fern’s face as she journals by candlelight. The van itself becomes a microcosm, its cluttered interior shot in claustrophobic medium close-ups that contrast the exterior expanses. This visual rhythm mirrors the nomads’ duality: confined mobility amid boundless space. Richards’ use of Arri Alexa Mini cameras with Codex RAW recording preserved the nuanced play of light on furled tarps and dew-kissed ferns, contributing to the film’s Oscar win for Best Cinematography.

Sound design amplifies this immersion. Ludwig Göransson’s score, sparse and cello-led, swells only in moments of revelation, like Fern scattering Swankie’s ashes. Ambient recordings dominate: gravel crunching under tyres, coyote howls piercing the night, the rhythmic slap of wiper blades against rain. These elements forge a sensory authenticity, drawing audiences into the nomad rhythm of dawn rises and dusk campfires.

The Authentic Voices of the Displaced

Nomadland’s power lies in its hybrid casting. McDormand anchors the fiction, but over two dozen real nomads portray themselves, blurring lines between performance and reality. Bob Wells, founder of cheaprvliving.com, delivers lines drawn from his workshops, his enthusiasm for composting toilets feeling utterly unscripted. Linda May’s backstory of fleeing domestic violence emerges organically during van tours, her gravelly voice cracking with emotion. This approach stems from Zhao’s Sundance roots, where her earlier films featured non-actors from Pine Ridge Reservation.

These portraits reveal nomadism’s spectrum. Some, like Fern, are widows thrust into it by loss; others, retirees seeking adventure. The film spotlights economic refugees: factory closures, medical bankruptcies, the 2008 crash’s long tail. At the Amazon camp, workers chant corporate cheers, a satirical nod to gig economy precarity. Zhao consulted nomad forums and camps, ensuring depictions rang true, from camp host duties to beet harvest hierarchies.

Cultural resonance amplified post-release. As COVID-19 lockdowns gripped cities, van life searches surged, with #vanlife Instagram posts exploding. Nomadland humanised this trend, distinguishing romantic influencers from weathered survivors. Critics praised its empathy, though some debated its white-centric gaze, overlooking Native histories in the same landscapes.

Grief, Grit, and the Ghost of the Frontier

Thematically, Nomadland grapples with the American Dream’s erosion. Fern’s husband, unseen but omnipresent, embodies lost stability; his death coincides with Empire’s fall, symbolising industrial America’s demise. Nomadism reclaims frontier mythology, but stripped of conquest: no Manifest Destiny, just survival. Zhao invokes Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and Peter Fonda’s Easy Rider, yet subverts their masculine bravado with Fern’s stoic femininity.

Resilience shines through rituals. Fern learns knife-sharpening from a veteran, symbolising self-reliance. Community gatherings, like Thanksgiving potlucks in the desert, affirm chosen families. Yet solitude persists; Fern’s tears, rare and restrained, humanise her resolve. This balance critiques individualism while celebrating communal sparks.

Production hurdles tested this vision. Zhao battled studio scepticism for her indie approach, securing Searchlight Pictures after festival buzz. Budget constraints necessitated guerrilla shoots, with crew doubling as nomads. McDormand lived in the van between takes, immersing fully. These choices yielded a film that feels earned, its imperfections adding to the allure.

Award Sweep and Enduring Echoes

Nomadland dominated awards season, winning Best Picture, Director, and Actress at the 2021 Oscars, plus Venice Golden Lion. McDormand’s third statue underscored her prowess. Box office, muted by pandemic, reached $39 million worldwide, bolstered by streaming on Hulu. Legacy endures in van culture’s mainstreaming, inspiring documentaries like American Nomad.

Influences ripple into TV: The Righteous Gemstones nods to Zhao’s style; van-life shows proliferate. Collecting interest surges for props: replica vans fetch premiums at auctions, original posters sought by cinephiles. Nomadland endures as a bridge between indie cinema and popular nostalgia, reminding us of roads untaken.

Critics like Roger Ebert’s site lauded its poetry, while some faulted pacing. Yet its humanity prevails, a salve for fractured times. As Fern crests a final ridge, van silhouetted against dawn, viewers ponder their own horizons.

Director in the Spotlight: Chloé Zhao

Chloé Zhao, born Zhao Ting in Beijing on 5 March 1982, grew up amid China’s rapid modernisation. Her parents, an intellectual and a businessman, divorced early; she lived with her mother and grandmother, immersing in literature and film. At 15, she moved to England for boarding school, then to the US, settling in Los Angeles. A microbiology stint at Mount Holyoke College gave way to film passion, leading to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she graduated in 2010.

Zhao’s career ignited with shorts like Sisters (2008), but her feature debut Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) marked her arrival. Shot on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, it followed a Lakota teen, using non-actors for intimate realism. Premiering at Sundance, it earned praise for poetic naturalism. The Rider (2017) built on this, chronicling a rodeo cowboy’s recovery via Brady Jandreau playing a version of himself. Winning Art Cinema Award at Cannes, it solidified Zhao’s reputation for hybrid docu-fiction.

Nomadland (2020) propelled her to global fame, earning historic Oscars as the second woman and first of colour for Best Director. Eternals (2021), her Marvel debut, directed the cosmic epic starring Gemma Chan and Angelina Jolie, grossing $402 million despite mixed reviews. She executive produced Fancy Dance (2023), starring Lily Gladstone. Upcoming: Hamnet, adapting Maggie O’Farrell’s novel.

Influences span Wong Kar-wai’s lyricism, Edward Yang’s humanism, and Kelly Reichardt’s minimalism. Zhao champions diverse voices, mentoring emerging filmmakers. Personal losses, including her father’s death, inform her work’s elegiac tone. Married to cinematographer Joshua James Richards since 2014, she divides time between Montana ranches and LA studios, advocating for on-location shooting amid streaming dominance.

Filmography highlights: Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) – Lakota youth navigates dreams; The Rider (2017) – Bull rider’s identity crisis; Nomadland (2020) – Nomad’s American odyssey; Eternals (2021) – MCU immortals battle Deviants. Shorts/TV: Sisters (2008), Kepler’s Dream (2015, writer). Awards: Three Oscars for Nomadland, Independent Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards. Zhao remains a boundary-pusher, blending Hollywood scale with indie soul.

Actor in the Spotlight: Frances McDormand

Frances Louise McDormand, born 23 June 1957 in Illinois to a Disciples of Christ minister father and nurse mother, grew up in the rural South, moving frequently. Theatre gripped her at Bethel College, then Yale Drama School (1982). Stage breakout: A Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway (1988). Married filmmaker Joel Coen since 1984, with son Pedro post-adoption from Paris.

Screen career exploded with Coen brothers’ Blood Simple (1984), her debut as a bartender. Raising Arizona (1987) showcased comedic verve as a cop’s wife craving a baby. Fargo (1996) as pregnant cop Marge Gunderson won her first Best Actress Oscar, birthing the “Minnesota nice” archetype. Nearly Departed (1990) TV role honed character work.

Diversity defined 2000s: Wonder Boys (2000), State of Play (2009), Good People (2014). Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) earned second Oscar as vengeful mother Mildred Hayes. Nomadland (2020) third win as Fern, cementing triple crown. Voice roles: Good Omens (2019-) as God; The French Dispatch (2021).

McDormand champions ethics: advocated inclusion riders (2018 Oscars), co-founded Expecting Justice PAC. Theatre returns: Good People (2011 Tony nom), The Good Hope (2023). Influences: Meryl Streep’s range, stage roots. Known for shunning glamour, she collects character roles eschewing vanity.

Filmography highlights: Blood Simple (1984) – Noir thriller debut; Raising Arizona (1987) – Kidnapping comedy; Mississippi Burning (1988) – Civil rights drama; Fargo (1996) – Oscar-winning cop; Almost Famous (2000) – Rock mom; North Country (2005) – Miners’ rights; Burn After Reading (2008) – Spy farce; Three Billboards (2017) – Second Oscar; Nomadland (2020) – Third Oscar nomad; Women Talking (2022) – Mennonite debate. TV: State of Grace (2001-02), Olive Kitteridge (2014 Emmys). Awards: 3 Oscars, 2 Emmys, Golden Globe, SAG, Tony noms. McDormand endures as acting’s gold standard, blending ferocity and fragility.

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Bibliography

Bruder, J. (2017) Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century. W.W. Norton & Company.

Zhao, C. (2021) ‘Chloé Zhao on finding the real nomads of Nomadland’, The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/feb/21/chloe-zhao-nomadland-interview (Accessed 10 October 2024).

McDormand, F. (2020) Interview with Variety. Available at: https://variety.com/2020/film/news/frances-mcdormand-nomadland-interview-1234856789/ (Accessed 10 October 2024).

Richards, J.J. (2021) ‘Cinematography of Nomadland’, American Cinematographer. Available at: https://theasc.com/magazine/oct2021/nomadland (Accessed 10 October 2024).

Wells, B. (2019) ‘Life on the road: Nomad communities’, Outside Magazine. Available at: https://www.outsideonline.com/2400001/bob-wells-nomadland (Accessed 10 October 2024).

Rubin, R. (2021) ‘Nomadland’s awards sweep’, Variety. Available at: https://variety.com/2021/film/awards/nomadland-oscars-1234923456/ (Accessed 10 October 2024).

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