Prior to last night’s sold-out Brooklyn and Queens drive-in screenings and the virtual nationwide premiere of the NYFF58 Centerpiece selection Nomadland director, writer, producer, and editor Chloé Zhao and producer Peter Spears joined NYFF Director of Programming Dennis Lim for a press conference. They discussed how the project came to life, how Frances McDormand helped to craft her character, collaborating with real-life nomads, mapping the American midwest locations of the films, preserving a connection with nature, the beauty of Terrence Malick’s films, and much more.

Presented by Film at Lincoln Center, the 58th New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema from September 17-October 11. This year’s festival features drive-in screenings in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens and virtual screenings available nationwide. See the complete schedule and get tickets here.

Watch the conversation below and listen to Zhao’s conversation with NYFF Director Eugene Hernandez here.