The Western is seen as the quintessential American movie genre. Since its birth in the early 20th century, it has undergone numerous transformations, reflecting the changing social and political conditions in the USA. Chloe Zhao is a Chinese filmmaker who wanted to put a new spin on the genre that many consider to be outdated, and to and create a new Western fit for 21st century America. Her movies Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015), The Rider (2018), and Nomadland (2020) fall into the category of post-Westerns, as they push the boundaries of the genre by presenting its traditional elements from Zhao’s perspective as a foreigner and a woman, while also retaining a high degree of objectivity. Her movies are both a way to pay homage to the longstanding tradition of the Western and to question their negative aspects. The thesis is an overview of Zhao’s interventions into the classical formula of the genre. It covers her impression of the new inner frontier that marks the border between urban, progressive America and the rural Heartland, and of the problems and identities of people who live there. Next up, it explains the importance of mythical landscapes of the Western USA - a signature feature of the genre, and the meaning that they still have for many Americans, as well as the connections between the past, the present and the future.