‘CODA’ Makes History With Oscar Best Picture Win, With Apple The First Streamer To Take Top Prize

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CODA capped off the wild last hour of tonight’s Oscars with a history-making win for Best Picture, making Apple the first streaming winner in the top category.In another milestone, CODA was also the first film with a predominantly deaf cast to win the ultimate prize.“Thank you to the Academy for letting our CODA make history tonight,” producer Philippe Rousselet said in accepting the award onstage at the Dolby Theater.He thanked writer-director Sian Heder for “keeping our boat afloat,” noting that “it hasn’t been an easy ride. … You’ve been the best captain a producer can ever dream of.

To our incredible cast, you guys have made such a wonderful and loving family onscreen, but also off screen and everybody wanted to be a part of it.”As the recipients spoke, sign language interpreters translated and at one point Rousselet paused to sign a message to cast members.Fabrice Gianfermi thanked the Academy for “recognizing a film about love and family at this difficult time.”Even though streaming overall had a surprisingly subdued night, collecting less than half of last year’s record-setting tally of nine Oscar wins, the victories all came in major categories.

In addition to Picture, CODA won for Heder’s Best Adapted Screenplay and for Best Supporting Actor, Troy Kotsur. Jane Campion also won for Best Director for Netflix’s The Power of the Dog.CODA is an English-language remake of Éric Lartigau’s La Famille Bélier, though there are several significant differences between the films, including Coda‘s casting of deaf actors in key parts.Apple acquired CODA for a record $25 million at Sundance in 2020, releasing it last summer in theaters at the same time it began streaming on Apple TV+.New and returning series on broadcast, cable