CODA Makes BAFTA Film Awards History

Emilia Jones appears in CODA by Siân Heder, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

At the 2022 EE British Academy Film (BAFTA) Awards, Apple was honored with two historic BAFTA Film Awards for its Apple Original Film “CODA,” making it the first film with a predominantly Deaf cast to win BAFTA Film Awards. The winners were announced at a ceremony in London yesterday, Sunday, March 13, during which “CODA” actress Emilia Jones performed a moving rendition of Joni Mitchell’s ballad “Both Sides Now,” the same song performed by her character in the film.

With a BAFTA Award win for Supporting Actor, “CODA” star Troy Kotsur makes history as the first Deaf actor to win a BAFTA in the category. Female writer and director Siân Heder also lands her first BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

You can read our review of the film here.

In total, Apple landed two BAFTA Film Awards:

CODA (2)

• Adapted Screenplay, Siân Heder
• Supporting Actor, Troy Kotsur

In Gloucester, Massachusetts, 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the sole hearing member of a deaf family – a CODA, child of deaf adults. Her life revolves around acting as interpreter for her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur) and working on the family’s struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant). But when Ruby joins her high school’s choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and soon finds herself drawn to her duet partner Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Encouraged by her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) to apply to a prestigious music school, Ruby finds herself torn between the obligations she feels to her family and the pursuit of her own dreams.

Multi-award-winning Apple Original Film “CODA” continues its global streak of acclaim, recently earning historic wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards — and becoming the first film with a predominantly Deaf cast to receive a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The film has also recently been honored with a Film Independent Spirit Award, four Hollywood Critics Association Awards, an NAACP Image Award, as well as multiple nominations from Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Since its global debut, the Apple Original film has also received an unprecedented four awards at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, including the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast, the Directing Award, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize, and has been recognized with an AFI Award.

Since the debut of Apple TV+ just over two years ago, Apple’s series and films have earned 219 wins and 950 nominations and have received recognition from the Academy Awards, SAG Awards, PGA Awards, WGA Awards, DGA Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Critics Choice Documentary Awards, NAACP Image Awards, as well as past Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards, and more.

“CODA” is written and directed by Siân Heder, produced by Vendome Pictures and Pathé, with Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger and Jérôme Seydoux serving as producers, and Ardavan Safaee and Sarah Borch-Jacobsen as executive producers.

“CODA” is now streaming on Apple TV+.

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