Nomadland’s Chloe Zhao has made history at the Golden Globes by becoming the first Asian woman to be named best director.
The US-based 38-year-old, who was born in China, is also only the second woman to win the award.
The first was Barbra Streisand who won in 1984 with Yentl, in which she also also starred.
Chloé Zhao takes home the award for Best Motion Picture Director for Nomadland. #GoldenGlobespic.twitter.com/YvPeTUvn1b
— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) March 1, 2021
Nomadland, which stars Frances McDormand, also took home the award for best drama motion picture on the night.
Accepting her award, Zhao thanked “the nomads who shared their stories with us”.
The film follows a woman who embarks on a journey through the American West living in a van, and Zhao spoke to and cast real people living a nomadic life.
She added: “This is why I fell in love with making movies and telling stories because they gave us a chance to laugh and cry together, and they give us a chance to learn from each other and have more compassion for each other.
“So thank you everyone who made it possible for me to do what I love.”
It’s about time! Congratulations Chloé! Well deserved!
— Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) March 1, 2021
Responding to the news, Streisand tweeted: “It’s about time! Congratulations Chloe! Well deserved!”
Zhao was nominated in the best director category alongside One Night In Miami’s Regina King and Promising Young Woman’s Emerald Fennell.
Together they were the first female directors nominated since Ava DuVernay in 2014.
Also nominated in the five-strong category were David Fincher for Mank and Aaron Sorkin for The Trial Of The Chicago 7.
Zhao is director for the upcoming Marvel film, The Eternals, due out this year.