Nomadland takes Best Picture at an Oscars like no other

Chloe Zhao's Nomadland, a wistful portrait of itinerant lives on open roads across the American West, won best picture at the 93rd Academy Awards, where the China-born Zhao also became just the second woman to win best director, and the first woman of colour.

The Nomadland victory, while widely expected, nevertheless capped the extraordinary rise of Zhao, a lyrical filmmaker whose winning film is just her third, and which - with a budget less than US$5 million and featuring a cast populated by non-professional actors - ranks as one of the most modest-sized movies to win Hollywood's top honour.

Zhao's next film, Marvel's Eternals, has a budget approximately 40 times that of Nomadland. Only Kathryn Bigelow, 11 years ago for The Hurt Locker, had previously won best director.

Anthony Hopkins has won his first Oscar since he was victorious for playing Hannibal Lecter.

Despite his pedigree, Hopkins was a surprise as the winner of the Academy Award for best actor for his work on The Father.

The late Chadwick Boseman was expected to win the award, which, in a very rare move from the academy, was the last to be handed out this year instead of best picture.

It was also an anti-climax on a show where Hopkins wasn't present to accept the trophy. Joaquin Phoenix's reading of his name was the last dramatic moment of a most unusual ceremony.

Frances McDormand won the Oscar for best actress, as Nomadland triumphed in three of the top categories, including best picture and best director.

It's the third Oscar for McDormand, who also won best actress in 2018 for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. That Oscar was stolen at the post-show Governors Ball, though it was recovered before the night was over.

She beat out fellow nominees Viola Davis, Carey Mulligan, Vanessa Kirby and Andra Day.

OSCAR WINNERS

Best Picture

Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Anthony Hopkins (The Father)

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Frances McDormand (Nomadland)

Best Director

Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Youn Yuh-jung (Minari)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

Best adapted screenplay

The Father, Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller

Best Original Screenplay

Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell

Best Animated Feature Film

Soul (Pixar)

Best International Feature Film

Another Round (Denmark)

Best Sound

Sound of Metal, Phillip Bladh, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés, Carolina Santana

Best Costume Design

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Ann Roth

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Matiki Anoff, Mia Neal, Larry M. Cherry

Best Live Action Short Film

Two Distant Strangers

Best Animated Short Film

If Anything Happens I Love You (Netflix)

Best Documentary Feature

My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)

Best Documentary Short Subject

Colette (Time Travel Unlimited)

Best Original Song

'Fight for You,' (Judas and the Black Messiah)

Best Visual Effects

Tenet, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley, Scott R. Fisher, Mike Chambers

Best Cinematography

Mank, Erik Messerschmidt

Best Production Design

Mank, Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale

Best Film Editing

Sound of Metal, Mikkel E.G. Nielsen

Best Original Score

Mank, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross