Chloé Zhao just made Academy Awards history.
The Nomadland filmmaker just won the award for Best Directing at the 2021 Oscars, making her only the second female director ever to take home the trophy in this category. Kathryn Bigelow was previously the only female to win Best Director for 2008’s The Hurt Locker.
Zhao was nominated against Another Round‘s Thomas Vinterberg, Mank‘s David Fincher, Minari‘s Lee Isaac Chung, and Promising Young Woman‘s Emerald Fennell. 2021 marks the first year in Oscars history that more than one female filmmaker was nominated in the Best Director category.
During her speech, Zhao shared a message of kindness that is sure to warm your heart.
“Thank you to the academy. Thank you to my brilliant, brilliant nominees, fellow nominees,” Zhao said from the stage. “My entire Nomadland company. What a crazy once-in-a-lifetime journey we went on. Thank you so much. I’m so grateful to you.”