The feature film “CODA,” the story of a teenage child of deaf adults who dreams of becoming a singer, won in all three categories it was nominated for at the Oscars. When it won Best Picture, it made history for Sundance as the first film to win that award after premiering at the festival.
“CODA,” which is an acronym for “child of deaf adults,” also became the first Best Picture winner with a cast mostly made up of deaf actors.
When it premiered at Sundance it earned a record four awards in the festival, including best director for filmmaker Sian Heder (SHAWN HAY-der). It also set a record high sale price when Apple TV+ bought the rights for $25 million.
Producer and Director Amy Redford, who sits on the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees, says "CODA"'s journey began years ago with the institute.
“And I am, you know, so proud of so many of the touch points that the Sundance Institute was involved in, because these are not easy movies to get made. And so when you have a filmmaker who's so determined, to not only tell the right story, but, you know, be meticulous in the how you're going to tell the story. //. And she stayed very dedicated. And I think with the fortification of the institute, saying, Tell the story, you need to tell the way you need to tell it. And then it ultimately paid off for everybody.”
Another movie that premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival was the music documentary “Summer of Soul.” It won the Oscar for best documentary feature film Sunday night.
