Structure

The events of the movie Nomadland, directed by Chloé Zhao unfold in chronological order. The plot follows Fern, from the moment she loads some of her belongings into her van in December 2011, to more than a year later, in 2013, when she makes a final visit to the storage unit and then drives away. 

Before the opening scene, the movie shows a note on a black screen, explaining that: “On January, 31, 2011, due to a reduced demand for sheetrock, US Gypsum shut down its plant in Empire, Nevada, for the first time in 88 years.” (00:00:52). This information provides context, as we understand the reason why Fern does not have a house and lives in a van.

The most notable characteristic of the movie is its non-traditional structure. The movie cannot really be divided into acts, and lacks certain plot devices, such as a climax. Instead, the story focuses on the evolution of the main charac...