A new, soul sustaining film is coming soon titled Nomadland, and it's generating a considerable amount of Oscar buzz.

The trailer for Nomadland was recently released, and the film, directed by Chloe Zhao follows the story of Fern (played by Frances McDormand), a woman who becomes out of work and is experiencing homelessness. Fern travels across the West of the US in her van looking for work, and finds safety and warmth in real-life nomads in America. The film has already won a number of awards, namely the people’s choice award at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival 77, which is also the first time a film has won top honours at the film festivals.

Throughout the trailer, McDormand is seen travelling across the US in her van, cutting her hair in public toilets, working at amazon, visiting a storage unit, and meeting people and communities along her way. It feels quiet, intimate, and touching. A refreshing lens amid the chaos of the year that has been with COVID-19, the civil rights movement and the US election occupying our screens. We can predict it will feel something of a breath of fresh air, providing a little, much needed stillness after so much havoc has taken place across the globe.

According to Variety, the golden Lion win at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year made director Chloe Zhao the first female filmmaker to receive the award since Sofia Coppola's Somewhere in 2010. She is also the first woman of colour to receive it since Mira Nair did in 2001. It will be interesting to note how it is received at the 2021 Oscars, given their hardly inclusive track record, but recent pledges to do better across the board in terms of inclusion and representation.

Nomadland will be released in Australia on December 26, 2020. Watch the trailer, below.