Los Angeles, Feb 17 (NationPress) The acclaimed filmmaker Chloe Zhao has reached remarkable heights in the film industry, directing masterpieces such as Nomadland and Eternals, yet she acknowledges that this success comes with sacrifices.

During a conversation with Sir Sam Mendes at a London screening, the 43-year-old director remarked, "It does cost something. And only now in my 40s, I’ve come to terms (with it), to say ‘That’s okay.’ In the past, I used to struggle with it, devouring self-help literature, believing, ‘I must fix this!’ But transformation requires loss; you cannot metamorphose without allowing certain aspects to fade away.

"There are certain lifestyles I may need to relinquish. As a child, I watched films that portrayed lives I found comforting and safe, but I’ve learned that it won’t be like that for me."

Zhao expresses that balancing a flourishing career with a fulfilling family life proves challenging, as reported by femalefirst.co.uk.

She added, "I once believed that one could possess everything. That life could be summer perpetually. I despise winter – where things perish and decay. However, I’ve come to understand that one must permit some elements to expire. Our culture often fails to teach us how to relinquish and how to embrace endings."

"Consequently, it feels shameful – as though there’s something wrong with me for not being able to make certain facets of my life work, like, why am I childless? I yearn for that, yet I find myself questioning if it will ever happen."

This director has previously conveyed her sense of being an "outsider".

In an interview with The Talks, she disclosed, "Wherever I travel, I am attracted to outsiders because I identify with them. I often feel like an outsider, no matter where I am.

"Loneliness is a significant theme for me. I distinguish between loneliness and solitude. I have traveled extensively alone while creating my initial films, which has shaped my perspective."

She relishes the challenge of depicting individuals on society's fringes.

Zhao stated, "If I were residing in China or the UK, I would be drawn to those existing on the outskirts of society there as well. However, in America, there’s undeniably been a shift towards minimalism, decluttering, and tiny living... Many of us are losing our fascination with the pressures of a capitalist, consumer-driven society.

"We’re all feeling a bit weary as we realize that this pursuit of consumption does not guarantee happiness. Our discontent arises because our happiness stems from the intersection of expectation and reality, but a capitalist system thrives on incessant consumption to endure."