Los Angeles, April 11 2021: The darling of critics and award-dominating ‘Nomadland’ has won the year’s top Hollywood directing award, the Directors Guild Award, the final major ceremony before the Oscars in Hollywood’s pandemic-delayed and mainly virtual award season.

Chloe Zhao, the 39 year old director, best known for “The rider”, spent her entire victory speech praising her fellow nominees, “I want to thank you guys for teaching me so much, and for showing your support, you have made this journey so much more special.”

The other nominees were, David Fincher for “Mank”, Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman” and Lee Isaac Chung “Minari”, who are all vying for the Oscar the best director. Zhao is entrenched as the strong favorite, after winning the Screen Actors Guild, the best indicator of who gets the top award.

“Nomadland,” a semi-fictional drama, follows a community of older van-dwelling Americans left behind by the Great Recession, who forge a new, transient life off the grid,

Meanwhile, “Sound of Metal,” won the first-time director award. Best documentary went to “The Truffle Hunters,” which follows a group of elderly Italians and their loyal dogs as they pursue the centuries-old tradition of seeking culinary delicacies in the forest.

In Television, “The Flight Attendant” took best comedy series, while “The Queen’s Gambit” won in limited series.

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