CODA - I Segni Del Cuore (2021) Pathé / Vendôme Pictures (Distributed by Apple Original Films (through Apple TV+)) 📢 Director: Sian Heder. 💰 Producers: Fabrice Gianfermi, Philippe Rousselet, Jérôme Seydoux, Patrick Wachsberger. 👫 Cast: Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Marlee Matlin. 🏆 Awards ceremony: -94th Academy Awards: March 27, 2022. Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. 🎭 Other films nominated for Best Picture this year: -Belfast. -Don't Look Up. -Drive My Car. -Dune. -King Richard. -Licorice Pizza. -Nightmare Alley. -The Power Of The Dog. -West Side Story. 📕 Plot summary: Set in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Ruby Rossi (EMILIA JONES) is a verbal 17 year-old girl born to deaf parents, and with a deaf older brother. She works on her father's small fishing vessel, helping to communicate with her family but has aspirations in becoming a singer. She begins singing lessons as part of a choir at school under the guidance of her music tutor, Mr. Bernardo Villalobos, who encourages her into pursuing her life-long dream but Ruby is faced with the frustrating dilemma of staying with her parents whom she feels needs her as their interpreter. 💥 Standout scene(s): -That sex scene with the parents! Oh my god, I laughed out loud so hard and for so long after witnessing THAT!! It was also followed by a sex-tutorial from Ruby's father about putting on a condom. Absolutely funny stuff there. -Mr. V telling Ruby off for constantly showing up late at his home for rehearsals. Some good dialogue. -When Ruby is singing her duet on the stage in front of the audience, the sound cuts out completely as we get to experience the scene through the eyes and ears of her family. Genius. -Ruby singing to her father outdoors at night under the stars with him touching her face was a really emotionally powerful scene that I got choked up over. 🔑 Facts: -The 94th Academy Awards. -Nominated for 3 Academy Awards, it won all 3: Best Picture, Supporting actor (Troy Kotsur), Adapted screenplay. -The film became the first Best Picture winner to be distributed via a streaming platform and the first one starring a primarily deaf cast. Its three nominations were the fewest for any Best Picture winner since GRAND HOTEL (1932), and it was the first Best Picture winner without directing or film editing nominations since the aforementioned film. 🙂 Personal opinion: When preparing to undertake my project to watch and review all of these films that won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, this was a film I had never seen and was the one I was most looking forward to. I was not disappointed. Despite the fact the film did take a little while to get up and running, once I understood the plot and Ruby's dilemma it became one of those films where I was glued to the screen. The music teacher (EUGENIO DERBEZ) is a joy to watch, and even moreso is Ruby's father Frank, played by deserved-Oscar winner TROY KOTSUR. There is just something so striking about their on-screen presence. Talking of which, EMILIA JONES has a natural charming face and a beautiful voice to match. Not heard much about her before seeing this film, but she definitely got my attention. Watching all the scenes with the sign language acting was both fascinating and educational at the same time. CODA is certainly not your average run-of-the-mill movie; it's thought-provoking and makes the viewer pause for reflection somewhat on what life is like for those with hearing impairments. So glad I got to see this film. Recommended. Did it deserve the Oscar? ✅DEFINITELY YES. 8/10

Review date: 13 August 2025