The party’s just getting started for “Nomadland.” Chloé Zhao’s Oscar frontrunner has already picked up honors from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, The New York Film Critics Circle, and The Chicago Film Critics Association, and now word comes that it leads the Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ (AWFJ) EDA Award nominations with nine nods.
Written by Zhao, “Nomadland” tells the story of Fern (Frances McDormand), a woman from a Nevada mining town destroyed by the Great Recession. The 60-something begins traveling across the American West in her camping van, picking up odd jobs along the way.
The drama is up for Best Film, Best Director, Best Woman Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Woman Screenwriter, and Best Editing for Zhao; Best Cinematography; and Best Actress, Grand Dame Award, and Most Daring Performance Award for McDormand.
Emmy-winning “Watchmen” star Regina King’s feature directorial debut, “One Night in Miami…,” is in the running for eight awards. Inspired by true events, the drama takes place on February 25, 1964: the night Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, was named the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, and follows the boxer as he celebrates alongside Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.).
“One Night in Miami…” scored nods for Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Woman Director.
Another feature directorial debut, Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman,” also made a major mark on AWFJ. Fennell, who is best known for serving as showrunner on Season 2 of “Killing Eve” and playing Camilla Parker Bowles in “The Crown,” penned the script. The Carey Mulligan-starrer, which follows a former med student determined to exact revenge on predatory men, is up for six honors: Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Woman Director, Best Woman Screenwriter. Fennell also landed a nod for this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award.
Check out all of the nominees over at Variety. Winners will be announced today, January 4.
