The world is a coexistence of distinct characters and values, but at times it is difficult to understand those who are different, especially when they communicate in their own discrete language. The divide between hearing and deaf communities, often underrepresented or misrepresented in media, is illustrated nowhere better than in the film CODA, which stands for Child of Deaf Adults. Released in 2021, CODA is a coming-of-age, comedy-drama film that pulls viewers into the life of a high school girl, Ruby Rossi (played by Emilia Jones), as she attempts to juggle school, pursue her dreams, as well as support her family’s fishing business.

As an English remake of the French-Belgian film La Famille Bélier released in 2014, CODA is written and directed by Sian Heder. It is a heartwarming film with a powerful message that is relevant to anyone who struggles to fit in anywhere, including among friends and family. Premiered at the 2021 Sundance film festival, CODA won numerous accolades, and became the first film with a deaf cast to win the prestigious Best Picture award at the 94th Academy Awards. CODA received high praise from not only film critics but also the deaf community for precisely depicting a story of deaf characters.

Fitting In

As the only hearing member of her family, Ruby is entangled in two completely different worlds. She acts as the bridge between the hearing community and her family members to run their fishing business more smoothly. For instance, they rely on her solely to negotiate the price of their catch with buyers and not get ripped off by swindlers. Her family also depends on her presence on the boat, as she serves as a deckhand listening to signals and coastal announcements.

Although Ruby stoically stands up for her family throughout the film, she struggles to fit in at school. When she was young, she was made fun of for speaking like a deaf person and as she grew up, she was ostracized by her schoolmates. However, this did not hinder Ruby from finding her passion for singing when she joins the choir, where the teacher-in-charge recognizes her talent and encourages her to apply to Berklee College of Music. However, as her family’s fishing business faces continuous threats, she finds herself torn between two choices – taking it upon herself to support her family or chasing her dreams in college.

Grand Recognition

Since its release, CODA has received high praise from movie critics and the deaf community. In an interview with USA Today, Delbert Whetter, the head of business affairs at Exodus Film Group as well as the vice-chair of the disability non-profit organization RespectAbility, appreciated the film’s ensemble of multiple deaf characters. He commented, impressed with the standard of American Sign Language (ASL), that “credit must be given to the ASL consultants on the film, and to (Jones) as well, whose facial expressions and body language were so on point, it is almost hard to believe she wasn’t raised by a deaf family.”

Tomris Laffly, a film critic based in New York, also mentioned how the cast has brought this movie to life in her review published on RogerEbert.com, an American film review website. “While the family in the well-meaning original were played by hearing cast members (with the exception of the deaf actor Luca Gelberg), they are all portrayed by real-life deaf performers in Heder’s movie — a sensational group consisting of legendary Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, scene-stealing Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant — infusing her adaptation with a rare, inherent kind of authenticity,” she commented.

Cinematic Elements

Another notable difference between CODA and the French-Belgian original is the change of settings and the occupational alterations that came along with it. Compared to how the precursor was set on a rural farm in France with the family working as dairy farmers, Heder chose to set the story of CODA in Gloucester, Massachusetts, which harbors the oldest fishing port in the United States (U.S.), with the family being the owners of a fishing business. In an interview with entertainment industry news site Deadline, Heder mentioned how she had set CODA in an environment she was familiar with. “I thought the premise of the original film was very interesting, but also there was an opportunity to set it in a world that I knew really well. I grew up in Boston and knew the fishing community there a little bit. So, I was very excited about those possibilities,” she said.

CODA also communicates the experience of being deaf to viewers. When Ruby and her crush, Miles, sing their duet at the school concert, the sound fades to silence in the middle of the performance and the deaf family’s point of view is projected on the screen. They study the audience around them — to appreciate the beauty of music and Ruby’s talent — and mimic their actions when they all applaud rapturously.

In addition, The New York Times reported that CODA’s producers are in discussions about collaborating with Deaf West Theatre to produce a stage musical adaptation of the film, incorporating both ASL and live singing. Furthermore, as the film gains international recognition, Troy Kotsur, who plays the role of Ruby’s father in the film, was also recently appointed the new ambassador of the 19th World Federation of the Deaf at The Ambassador Seoul on September 6.

Depicting its characters to showcase how Ruby’s family is just like other families, CODA is a movie where audiences can learn about the difficulties faced by anyone who struggles to fit in. Moreover, this showcases how families of the deaf community also have their own unique, strong bonds and chemistry. Through several moving and tear-jerking scenes, Heder attempts to highlight the characters’ humor and authenticity despite their heartbreaking struggles, indicating how they are just people like the audience at the end of the day.

Film Information

Release Date: January 28, 2021 (Sundance)

Director: Sian Heder

Cast: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, Daniel Dubrant, Eugenio Derbez

Running Time: 111 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical

Streaming Platforms: Apple TV+, Netflix