‘Nomadland’: What the Oscar-winning movie will imply for South Dakota tourism

SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) – “Nomadland”The film was partially shot here in South Dakota and received three Academy Awards at the Oscars last night.

Director Chloe Zhao (left) appears with actress Frances McDormand on the set of Nomadland. (Searchlight images via AP)

The film was named Best Picture, while Frances McDormand was named Best Actress and Chloe Zhao was named Best Director. ‘Nomadland’ was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.

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This image, published by Searchlight Pictures, shows Frances McDormand in a scene from Chloe Zhao’s film Nomadland. McDormand plays a woman who is rootless in the American West after the great recession. (Searchlight images via AP)

The film combines these other well-known Oscar-winning films that used South Dakota as a location:

• ‘How the West Was Won’: Best Original Screenplay (1964), Best Sound Mixing (1964) and Best Film Editing (1964).
• ‘Dance with Wolves’: Best Picture (1991), Best Adaptive Screenplay (1991), Best Original Score (1991), Best Sound Mixing (1991), Best Director (1991), Best Cinematography (1991) and Best Film Editing (1991).

What does this mean for tourism in the state?

‘Nomadland’ features the beautiful landscapes of South Dakota from Badlands National Park, Wall Drug, Rapid City and Black Hills National Forest. All of them inspire travelers to visit the state’s attractions and introduce themselves in the film.

“Having Nomadland filmed here and the success they have seen is absolutely incredible,” said Katyln Svendsen, director of global media and outreach for the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

First and foremost, Svendsen says that they are very proud of Chloe and her team. Chloe has made a number of films across the state, and Svendsen says she has a special place in South Dakota. She says the team’s success also brings South Dakota to the big stage.

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures via SD Tourism

“To know that you have used that ability and brought South Dakota international attention with your film is pretty incredible,” said Svendsen.

Travel to South Dakota also created a page highlighting the film and the locations, as well as some of Chloe’s stories.

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures via SD Tourism

Interest in visiting these places has grown significantly, and to top it off, the state saw increased interest in the road trip in 2019, says Svendsen, and of course, 2020 has sparked an even greater interest in this road trip.

“Then it’s absolutely incredible to have Nomadland come out and show America and South Dakota through the lens of a road trip and through the eyes of someone like actress Frances McDormand,” said Svendsen. “I think people really took to heart the fact that they could take a road trip in their own four walls through nomad land. This was a really interesting experience for people as they were mostly home in 2020.”

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures via SD Tourism

Since the film has just won several Academy Awards, Svendsen expects it to attract additional tourists. She says she watches the movie “Dances With Wolves,” which continues to attract visitors who learn where to go in the state to experience the locations and scenes that were filmed throughout the film and how they did it be able to experience it for yourself. She expects Nomadland to have a similar feeling.

“The filmography is just beautiful and shows Badlands National Park in such a great light. So we expect really good things in the future and to know that this is what drives economic development in South Dakota and inspires people to travel everywhere is an incredible achievement. For a movie we are very proud of Chloe and so grateful, that she put South Dakota on a huge stage in this way, ”said Svendsen.

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures via SD Tourism

People are eager to take to the streets and travel more, says Svendsen, and with that, the state expects tourist numbers to surge this year. Wall Drug, for example, has seen an increase in the number of visitors who said they came for nomad land.

Badlands National Park will also see an increase in visitors, she says.

The state will prepare its staff at the information center with a good amount of information on how visitors can experience the scenes they saw in Nomadland, says Svendsen, and of course they also experience word-of-mouth marketing and more people share and share watch the movie.

Wall Drug’s famous donuts are growing in popularity

Sarah Hustead, vice president of Wall Drug, says the popular tourist attraction saw many people recognize aspects of the place from the movie, like the famous Wall Drug donuts and hot beef.

• Wall drug donut at 5 cents coffee
• Hot beef at Wall Drug

Photos courtesy of Wall Drug

Hustead says they had customers who said they saw the movie and had to try Wall Drug for themselves.

Even some of the staff who were in the film are recognized by fans of the film. Hustead says there were some employees in the background of the film, but they had about five employees who played prominent roles in those scenes.

“Nomadland” was the first big screen movie to be shot on Wall Drug, says Hustead. They were honored to be one of the filming locations for ‘Nomadland’ and they said it was amazing to work with the cast and crew.

“They are very nice people who are just capturing such an important message from our country,” said Hustead.

Photo courtesy Wall Drug

Hustead says that now that the film has won an Oscar, it is “beyond our wildest dreams.”

With so many people watching the Oscars, Hustead anticipates an increase in traffic to Wall Drug.

“I think we’ll see a longer final impact, as opposed to if it wasn’t won or nominated,” said Hustead. “Nomadland will be part of South Dakota for years to come.”

They’re continuing what they always do, honoring their traditions, says Hustead, but preparing to grow the business. Additional outdoor seating is added to them to accommodate the larger crowds.

It’s a great honor to know the film was shot in Wall Drug, says Hustead, they are proud to be a part of it.

Be an extra in an Oscar-winning film

Kim Bartling, communications professor and theater director at her company The Humanity Launch, restored her 1967 Holiday Golden Falcon camper about four years ago, unaware that it would one day be featured in an Oscar-winning film.

Photo courtesy Kim Bartling

While working as a film professor, she saw the crew looking for people to go to the badlands and camp. At the time, Bartling was teaching a film course for USD, and at the interview she was only told that Chloe Zhao was the director who had made some of the films Bartling presented in her class and that it was a “road trip” to film for Women of a certain age. ”

Photo courtesy Kim Bartling

“It was fantastic,” said Bartling. “I didn’t know Frances was starring until I worked there for about six hours.”

Bartling was supposed to be on set for three days, but ended up being held for a week.

Her favorite part of the movie was the camaraderie between everyone involved on the set.

Photos courtesy of Kim Bartling

“I think every movie is important because it’s an art form that shows ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances,” said Bartling.

As a teacher, Bartling wants us all to know that the history of our geography should be proud.

Last night in her acceptance speech, Frances said Nomadland was a movie that needed to be seen on the big screen, and Bartling says she thinks that is essential.

“Especially after COVID, we’re all so busy on this small scale, whether it’s our phones or our computers, this is a movie we all need to see on the big screen,” said Bartling. “It’s absolutely breathtaking and I’m so proud to be a South Dakotan.”