Chloé Zhao’s 'Nomadland' captured the hearts of audiences with its poignant look at life on the American margins. If its story of resilience, community, and the search for home resonated with you, you're in luck. Here are eight other films that share
its spirit.
The Rider (2017)
Before 'Nomadland,' director Chloé Zhao honed her signature style with this breathtaking film. It follows a young rodeo star on the Pine Ridge Reservation who must re-evaluate his life after a near-fatal injury. Like 'Nomadland,' it features non-professional actors playing versions of themselves, blurring the line between documentary and fiction to create a profoundly authentic portrait of life in the modern American West. The vast landscapes and quiet emotional depth will feel instantly familiar.
Wendy and Lucy (2008)
This minimalist masterpiece from director Kelly Reichardt is a spiritual cousin to 'Nomadland.' Michelle Williams plays Wendy, a woman traveling to Alaska for a cannery job whose life unravels when her car breaks down and her beloved dog, Lucy, goes missing. The film is a quiet but devastating look at economic precarity, focusing on how quickly one can fall through the cracks in a society with a frayed safety net. It shares a powerful sense of place and an unflinching look at the struggle for survival.
Leave No Trace (2018)
This film explores life on the fringes from a different angle. It centers on a veteran father suffering from PTSD and his teenage daughter who live off-the-grid in a public park. When they are caught and forced into social services, their bond is tested. Director Debra Granik, known for 'Winter's Bone,' masterfully explores themes of community versus isolation and what it truly means to have a home. It’s a gentle, heartbreaking drama about finding your place in the world without losing yourself.
Paris, Texas (1984)
A man named Travis wanders out of the desert, silent and seemingly broken, after a four-year absence. So begins Wim Wenders’ Palme d'Or-winning masterpiece, a film that is all about the vast, lonely landscapes of the American Southwest and the fractured souls within them. It’s a story of loss, redemption, and the difficult road to reconnecting with family. The film's stunning visuals and Ry Cooder's haunting score create a meditative, melancholic mood that 'Nomadland' fans will deeply appreciate.
Into the Wild (2007)
Based on Jon Krakauer's nonfiction book, Sean Penn's film tells the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who sheds all his possessions and societal ties to live in the Alaskan wilderness. While McCandless's motivations differ from Fern's, both characters share a profound desire to escape conventional life and find a more authentic existence in nature. The film is a powerful, if tragic, exploration of freedom, self_reliance, and the call of the open road.
American Honey (2016)
If 'Nomadland' is a quiet poem, 'American Honey' is a sprawling, energetic epic about youth on the margins. The film follows Star, a teenage girl who escapes her troubled home by joining a traveling magazine sales crew. This subculture of forgotten youths forms its own chaotic, vibrant community as they crisscross the Midwest. Director Andrea Arnold captures the exuberance and desperation of a generation searching for freedom and a sense of belonging in modern America.
Wild (2014)
After a personal tragedy sends her life spiraling, Cheryl Strayed (played by Reese Witherspoon) makes the impulsive decision to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone. Based on Strayed's memoir, the film is a powerful story of healing and self discovery through a grueling physical and emotional journey. Like Fern in 'Nomadland,' Cheryl uses the vastness of the American landscape as a canvas to confront her grief and rebuild her life from the ground up.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
To understand the cinematic lineage of 'Nomadland,' one must go back to John Ford’s classic adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel. It follows the Joad family, Oklahoma farmers who lose their land during the Great Depression and travel to California in search of a better life. It is the quintessential American story of displacement, economic hardship, and the resilient search for dignity against overwhelming odds. The parallels to the modern day nomads facing the fallout of the Great Recession are impossible to miss.
