'This is our moment' -- Deaf community celebrates 3 Oscar wins for 'CODA'

Mar. 29—Gloucester is at the center of an independent film that sent not a ripple, but a tidal wave throughout the Deaf community with its message being heard at the White House and around the world.

The cinematic pebble that started that ripple was the film "CODA," which stands for Child of Deaf Adult(s), but coda is a term often linked more to the music world than the Deaf community.

That began to change Sunday night.

The movie — filmed in Gloucester and featuring a fictional fishing family — won an Academy Award for each of its three nominations: best movie, best supporting actor, and best adapted screenplay. The story is about a teenage girl, the only hearing person in her family, who is torn between following her dream to attend a prestigious music school and staying home to continue as the link between the hearing world and her family's business.

Troy Kotsur, who played the father, made history as the second deaf actor to win an Academy Award. It also made history for its writer and director, Sian Heder, who now has a home in Gloucester. Her mission was to rewrite the 2014 French film "La Famille Bélier," the new iteration of which was "CODA."

"'CODA"s win is a huge win for the Sundance Film Festival, because it was the first film to premiere at Sundance and go on to win Best Picture. Sian Heder is very much a Sundance success story," according to MovieMaker Magazine. Apple set a Sundance record with its $25 million purchase of the film.

'CODA' coming to the stage

Kotsur, Heder and the movie were cheered on at Pratty's CAV bar, located on Gloucester's working waterfront, where a small crowd gathered to watch the ceremony on a big screen. There were screams of joy and whistles as the awards were announced. In the crowd was Elena Lee, Kotsur's sign language interpreter on the film set, both on land and at sea aboard a local fishing boat.

In his acceptance speech to an audience signing applause back at him, Kotsur expressed amazement that this film has gained worldwide attention.

"This is dedicated to the Deaf community, the CODA community and the disabled community. This is our moment," he said through an interpreter. " ... I also want to thank all the wonderful Deaf theater stages where I was allowed and given the opportunity to develop my craft as an actor."

One of those stages was Deaf West Theatre, founded in 1991 in Los Angeles, which plans to adapt "CODA" in a work for stage.

David Kurs, the theater's artistic director, approached "CODA" producers Phillippe Rousselet and Fabrice Gianfermi at Vendome about the rights to the material after the French version came out.

"Even back then, before 'CODA' came out, we knew that this was a story that would lend itself to the form of signed musical theater. I hope that Sian will be part of it!" wrote Kurs in an email. "'CODA' is a watershed moment in our community. As deaf people, we know that representation in the arts directly benefits our standing in the world. The buzz around the movie and its awards success have been extraordinary and we cannot wait for all of the opportunities that will come to the artists from our community. We've been waiting for a long time."

Sunday night's Oscar ceremony was momentous for the Deaf and CODA community.

"I was speechless at first," said Beverly's April Dooley, born to to deaf parents, one of six siblings, two of whom are deaf, and whose first language was American Sign Language. "Knowing that those moments included opportunities for my family, friends, and students to have access to the show was priceless and brought tears to my eyes. I am honored to be a part of the Deaf community as a CODA."

Dooley, who has a lot of family in Gloucester and Rockport, is a special education teacher at the Beverly School for the Deaf, founded in 1876, and one of the oldest schools in the country for the Deaf and hard of hearing.

"I grew up not watching movies and not a lot of TV because my parents couldn't access it," she recalled. "When I first heard about the movie, I wasn't sure what it was about ... Then I Googled 'CODA 2021' and then it popped up. I was very excited."

For the first time she was able to bring her mother and her deaf friends to a theater to see a movie instead of waiting for it to come out on DVD with subtitles.

"This is just one story of millions of stories in the Deaf community," Dooley said. "I did not necessarily have the experience that was in the film but I felt very much connected to the movie because I felt it was a reflection of my childhood. The good thing too is that it brings awareness about the Deaf community."

As a teenager, she recalled how people expressed to her that her parents did not live in the "real world" and how her mother would be called names in the grocery store after a cashier greeted her and would get no response.

"She was not being rude. Or there are times when my deaf friends have to go into Starbucks because they are not able to use a drive-through even though it says if you're hard of hearing pull up. and it shows a deaf family who owns a home and has a business and it shows what they are capable of," said Dooley.

"I am unbelievably proud of the actors and all the people behind the scenes that brought this movie to life," she said, praising Kotsur in particular.

"If you pay attention to how he interprets the script, he makes it so robust and makes it so much more than what it would have been if it were just in English," Dooley said.

As for she and her family, they loved seeing familiar locations from Beverly to Rockport. Her daughter attended the Beverly middle school where the school scenes were shot and they even saw her daughter's locker.

"One movie is not going to represent the entire community, but this is a huge stepping stone," Dooley said. "The notoriety the movie has gotten opens doors. It represents opportunities for deaf actors to be represented in Hollywood."

On a further note, Dooley said there are opportunities at Beverly School for the Deaf for someone who wants to learn more about ASL to take online classes on the basics.

"It's not just deaf people who use ASL, but other people who have disabilities or may be nonverbal," she added.

Keeping the 'CODA' boat afloat

As part of the movie-making process, Heder took lessons to learn ASL because she wanted to have direct communication with the actors and not have to reply solely on interpreters.

In his acceptance speech, Kotsur spoke about Heder's magic and shared Steven Spielberg's definition of a great director as someone who is a skilled communicator.

"Sian Heder you are the best communicator," he said through ASL. "You brought the Deaf world and hearing world together and you are our bridge, and your name will forever be on that bridge — Sian Heder Bridge — here in Hollywood. and that is supported by Apple and Sundance and all of our cast and crew, our producers and the community of Gloucester, Massachusetts."

On the Hollywood stage, Heder talked about how difficult it was to make this independent film and thanked all involved for believing in her.

"Writing and making this movie was truly life-changing as an artist and human being," said Heder, also thanking the Deaf community for being her teachers.

On the third award of the trifecta, Rousselet, one of the producers, thanked the academy for allowing "CODA" to make history.

"Sian, it hasn't been an easy ride from the first day of shooting when our cast and crew were supposed to be at 4 a.m. at sea fishing when we were told a giant storm was about to hit us," he said. "It was only the beginning of our problems but you've kept the boat afloat and you have been the best captain a producer could ever dream of, really."

Gail McCarthy can be reached at 978-675-2706, or at gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com.