Former Brighton College student wins Oscars for Best Film and Best Director
Chloé Zhao at the Oscars – Pool photo by Chris Pizzello
A former student at Brighton College picked up the prize for Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars last night (Sunday 25 April).
Chloé Zhao won the Oscars for her film Nomadland, becoming only the second woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
And in a third triumph for the film, Frances McDormand won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Nomadland was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing.
Her old school tweeted: “Fantastic news! Old Brightonian Chloé Zhao has become the second woman EVER to win the Best Director Oscar for @nomadlandfilm! The film also won prizes for Best Picture and Best Actress. Congratulations Chloé – we couldn’t be prouder.”
A fortnight ago the 39-year-old won a BAFTA for Best Director as Nomadland also picked up the BAFTA for Best Film.
As she accepted the Best Director award she said: “I think I just made my teacher at Brighton College really proud.”
The school said: “All we can say in response is yes – we are all very proud of you, Chloe!”
The film is based on Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder. The non-fiction book was published in 2017.
In the film Frances McDormand stars as a woman who leaves her hometown after her husband dies and the town’s sole factory closes and she travels around America as a van-dwelling nomad.
Fantastic news! Old Brightonian Chloé Zhao has become the second woman EVER to win the Best Director #Oscar for @nomadlandfilm! The film also won prizes for Best Picture and Best Actress.
Congratulations Chloé – we couldn’t be prouder! 😊👏🥳👏 pic.twitter.com/qdXVoSdPXd
— Brighton College (@BrightonCollege) April 26, 2021
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