Still CODA . From
Streaming portal Apple created history by bagging Hollywood’s most coveted honor as ‘CODA’ won the Best Picture Oscar at the 94th Academy Awards.
Apple Original Films’ CODA has won the Best Picture Oscar for a streaming service for the first time, beating rival Netflix to the punch.
As “Variety” reports, “Coda” took the top prize over Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog” from director Jen Campion, the other major contender in the category.
In addition, “Koda” star Troy Kotsur won the supporting actor trophy, the first time a deaf male actor received an acting Oscar, and the second to do so after “Koda” co-star Marlee Matlin’s “Children” won. Deaf actor. Of a Lesser God in 1986.
In the third win of the film night, “Koda” director Sean Heder won in the adapted screenplay category.
‘Koda’ also made history as the first Sundance Film Festival film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. And it is the first film to win Best Picture without being nominated in the Directing and Editing categories.
Apple is estimated to have spent over $10 million on the Oscar campaign for the film.
In the film, Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is a child of deaf adults, or ‘CODA’, the only hearing member in her family. After discovering a passion and talent for singing, Ruby is torn between her obligations to the family fishing business and pursuing her musical dreams. Kotsur and Matlin play her parents, and Daniel Durant co-stars as her brother, Leo.
Apple acquired the rights to CODA for $25 million after a bidding war following its premiere at Sundance last year. Produced by Vendome Pictures and Pathé, the film premiered on Apple TV Plus in August 2021.
Leading up to its Oscar win, ‘Koda’ won the Top Film Award at the Producers Guild Awards; Best Adapted Screenplay at the BAFTA Awards and Writers Guild of America Awards; and Best Dressed at the SAG Awards.
At last year’s Sundance, it won a record four awards: the Special Jury Award for Ensemble, the Directing Award, the Audience Award, and the Grand Jury Prize.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has acknowledged that the tech giant is prioritizing the reputation of its streaming originals over profits.
“We don’t make purely financial decisions about content (on Apple TV Plus),” he told analysts during the company’s January 27 earnings call.
“We try to find great content that has a reason to be.”