Chinese director Chloe Zhao and Fox Searchlight Co-Chairman Stephen Gilula attend the drive-in premiere of her film Nomadland on Friday in Pasadena, California. Photo: AFP

 
Chinese director Chloe Zhao's feature film Nomadland turned out to be a big winner on Saturday at the annual National Society of Film Critics Awards with four trophies, continuing to sweep the awards circuit in the US.

At the US critics' group's 55th awards voting meeting, which was held virtually this time, the US contemporary drama film from Disney's Searchlight Pictures was named Best Picture of 2020. Zhao also nabbed the Best Director award at the annual event.

Adapted by Zhao from Jessica Bruder's 2017 nonfiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, the film stars two-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand as an out-of-work woman who packs her van and sets off from her small town to travel around the vast landscape of the US West, exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad.

McDormand won Best Actress for her performance in the film while Joshua James Richards walked away with the Best Cinematography award.

The National Society of Film Critics is made up of 60 prominent movie critics across the US. 

Zhao is currently working on another Disney project, Marvel film Eternals.