Zhao nwetara ihe ịga nke ọma ọzọ na "Nomadland" (2020), nke dọtara mmata mba ụwa ma merie ọtụtụ onyinye, gụnyere Ọdụm ọlaedo na Ememme Nkiri Venice, Onyinye Nhọrọ Ndị Mmadụ na Toronto International Film Festival, na ọtụtụ onyinye Onyinye Kasị Mma. Zhao nwetara ihe nrite maka iduzi na Academy Awards
, Directors Guild of America Awards, Golden Globe Awards, na British Academy Film Awards; na ahụ ọ bụla, ọ bụ nwanyị nke abụọ meriri. N'ị nweta ọkwa Academy Award anọ maka ihe nkiri ahụ, Zhao meriri ma Best Picture na Best Director, na-aghọ nwanyị nke abụọ n'akụkọ ihe mere eme iji merie nke ikpeazụ mgbe Kathryn Bigelow na 2010, na nwanyị mbụ nke agba iji merie ụdị ahụ. Ọ ghọkwara nwanyị nke isii iji merie ọtụtụ Academy Awards n'otu afọ, mgbe Edith Head, Catherine Martin, Fran Walsh, Kathryn Bigelow na Frances McDormand. Ihe nkiri ahụ enwetabeghị ihe ngosi ihe nkiri na China, na ịkọ nkọ na ọ bụ n'ihi okwu ya gara aga banyere mba ahụ, na akụkọ banyere mmeri ya kacha mma na Academy Awards na-enyocha.