Nomadland, Chloe Zhao’s latest which took home the coveted Golden Lion at Venice this year, has topped TIFF too after being awarded the People’s Choice award at the festival that wrapped up over the weekend. The award is seen as a major indicator that that the film will go on to be a major frontrunner come awards season and a potential for the big one, the Best Picture Oscar.
“TIFF 2020 was a year we won’t soon forget,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Co-Head. “Over the last 10 days, we have experienced community in the truest sense. The pandemic hit TIFF hard and we responded by going back to our original inspiration — to bring the very best in film to the broadest possible audience and transform the way people see the world through film. We heeded the urgent calls for greater representation of under-represented voices. And we watched as audiences embraced cinema’s ability to transport them through screens of all sizes by joining us online from all over this country — something that we would never have seen in previous years. TIFF delivered on its promise to provide Festival-goers and the industry with impactful programming. We are very proud of what the TIFF team accomplished.”
Nomadland 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 will now go on to screen at forthcoming international festivals, London being on that list for their festival in October.
One Night in Miami from Regina King and Tracy Deer’s Beans were the two named runners up for the People’s Choice gong at TIFF.
