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Nomadland: our guide to Ludovico Einaudi's soundtrack

Much-loved composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi's music is featured in the 2021 film Nomadland starring Frances McDormand. Despite its popularity however, it's not eligible for an Oscar...

Published: April 27, 2021 at 1:12 pm

Who wrote the score for Nomadland?

The score for Nomadland uses no original material: director Chloé Zhao has used tracks from previous albums by Ludovico Einaudi. Most of the tracks featured in the soundtrack comes from Einaudi's Seven Days Walking, which is a collection of seven albums released over seven consecutive months in 2019.

Einaudi based Seven Days Walking on a hike he took in the Italian Alps, when he took the same path every day for seven days. Each album is named after a day of the journey, with the music based on the emotions he felt and experienced on his trip.

'Day One' and 'Day Three' from Seven Days Walking are featured Nomadland, as well as tracks from Einaudi's 2015 album Elements and 2007 album Divenire.

What's the story of Nomadland?

Nomadland is the third feature film from director Chloé Zhao, which centres around the economic recession in a town in rural Nevada. Fern, the film's protagonist played by Frances McDormand, is hit by the recession and decides to hit the road and live as a nomad, exploring the vast landscapes of the American West.

Why is Einaudi's score for Nomadland not eligible for an Oscar?

In order for a film score to be entered in the category of Best Original Score at the Oscars, the film now has to be 80% new material. All the tracks by Ludovico Einaudi featured in Nomadland have previously been written and published. As a result, it doesn't meet the eligibility criteria for entry.

In 1972, Nino Rota received an Oscar nomination for his score to The Godfather, but it was subsequently disqualified when it was revealed that part of its love theme had been used in one of Rota's previous film scores.

Can you buy the soundtrack to Nomadland?

The soundtrack to Nomadland is now available to buy from Amazon.

You can also can buy Einaudi's other albums from which these tracks are taken.

Seven Days Walking: Day One

Seven Days Walking: Day Three

Seven Days Walking: Complete Collection

Elements

Divenire

Where can you stream the soundtrack to Nomadland?

The soundtrack to Nomadland is now available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music.

You can find all the tracks featured in the soundtrack on Einaudi's other albums.

Seven Days Walking

Elements

Divenire

Which book is Nomadland based on?

Nomadland is based on journalist Jessica Bruder's 2017 non-fiction retelling of this time in America's history, titled Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.

Where can you watch Nomadland online?

Searchlight Pictures are giving Nomadland a theatrical release in cinemas on 19 February, combined with a simultaneous release on Hulu. Subscriptions to Hulu start at $5.99 a month. Sign up for a free trial here.

Nomadland has recently been released on the Disney+ streaming platform. Subsccriptions to Disney+ start at £7.99 a month. Sign up here.

When is Nomadland released in the UK?

It has not yet been announced whether UK audiences will be available to watch this in cinemas, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and continued closure of cinemas. It is likely to receive an online release instead.

Watch the trailer for Nomadland

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