10 Best Film Directors With Less Than 5 Films

Chloé Zhao is on her way to becoming the second woman to win a Best Director Oscar this year for her incredible and moving work on the Best Picture frontrunner Nomadland. Zhao has had an explosive rise to stardom after her previous film The Rider did well amongst critical circles but wasn't seen by many.

After The Rider's positive response, Searchlight Pictures scooped Zhao up and gave her free reign to make her next film.

Nomadland is more a mood board than a narrative experience which works well as the scenery and landscaping of the film is gorgeous and is often used to reflect the thoughts and feelings of Frances McDormand's central character.

Zhao knows how to perfectly integrate the wide open spaces with the characters and Nomadland becomes more about how you emotionally respond to what you're seeing on screen.

It's a tricky act to pull off as the focus becomes about introspection. Coming next, Zhao is doing something totally different as she takes on a Marvel blockbuster in The Eternals.