Star Frances McDormand, also winner for best actress, used one of her moments in the Oscar spotlight to give her support to theaters.
“Please watch our movie on the largest screen possible, and one day — very, very soon — take everyone you know into a theater, shoulder-to-shoulder in that dark space and watch every film that’s represented here tonight,” she said.
Director Chloé Zhao made history on Sunday with her own win for best director.
“Nomadland” stars McDormand as a woman who, following job loss and the death of her husband, finds a community and kinship among those who, like her, are house-less — not homeless — and live in their vans.
“Nomadland” won top prizes at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival before having an equally fruitful run during award season.
It won best picture at both the Golden Globes and the BAFTA Awards before earning the night’s biggest award at the Oscars, which the film was favored to win.