Nomadland tells the story of a woman in her sixties who, after losing everything during the Great Recession, sets out on a long journey through the American West, living out of her van like a modern-day nomad.

In her third feature film, director Chloé Zhao casts real-life nomads Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells, who accompany Fern, played by Frances McDormand, on her endless journey.