CODA follows the story of a 17 year old girl from Gloucester Massachusetts, as she navigates her way through high school. Ruby Rossi is the only hearing member of her family and wants to go to college, but doesn’t want to leave her deaf family members behind. She knows they need her help running their fishing business, but her dream is to pursue her music career in Boston. What will she decide is best? 

One of the reasons CODA was a must-see movie is because it is based in Gloucester. It included locations such as Pratty’s CAV, Lane’s Cove, the Quarries, Gloucester Fish Pier, Shalin Liu Performance Center, the Angela Rose boat, and more. 

 Along with its great location, this authentic, heartfelt, coming of age movie has great ratings among reviewers. With ratings as high as 96 percent rotten tomatoes and 8.1 out of 10 on IMDb, it was acquired by Apple for a record-breaking $25 million, and won Grand Jury, Audience Award, Best Director, and Ensemble Acting prizes at the virtual 2021 Sundance Film Festival. 

Although it is not a true story, CODA was adapted from a French film called La Famille Bélier. “When I watched the French film I was very moved by the premise and I was moved by the character at the center and the idea of this family,” director Sian Heder said. She really wanted to make this film personal and also set it in a place that was specific to her. Born in Cambridge Massachusetts, Heder graduated from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and directed a few films before releasing her greatest hit CODA. 

An acronym standing for child of deaf adults, CODA brings attention to deaf individuals and families everywhere. It makes you realize how much we rely on our hearing to communicate, and how much we use it in our everyday lives. This movie also demonstrates the struggles of being a child with deaf parents. Not only communicating to them through sign language, but also translating everything for them, are just parts of what CODAs do. 

Not only does this film bring attention to the deaf community, but to the fishing industry as well. It shows the struggles of fishermen not being able to sell enough fish, not making enough money, and not being able to provide for their families. 

If you are from Gloucester, this movie will be one of your new favorites. 

The Gloucetser Cinema is playing CODA now. Watch it while you can!