‘CODA’, a drama about a teenage girl who is the only hearing person in her family, unleashed an intense bidding war after her debut at the Sundance Film Festival. The film is praised for portraying deaf artists in key roles, and seeing reactions on social media. This will probably mean that the film will get a notable number if an agreement is finally signed, although negotiations are underway with several interested parties.
The film and its likely sale is a litmus test of how robust the market will be during a virtual version of Sundance after the festival decided to go largely digital due to COVID-19.
Traditional prestige labels such as Disney’s Searchlight and Universal’s Focus Features made no formal offer after giants such as Netflix and Apple Studios took up the fight, insiders said. People familiar with the talks said Amazon kicked the tires but has a stuck 2021 release calendar and is unlikely to be able to accommodate a release and subsequent awards campaign. It is possible that some studios that initially walked away with a price tag that could reach record highs, re-evaluate and re-enter the fight to land ‘CODA’.
The film, which launched the festival, may not have played out in the Eccles Theater, the main focus of movie during Sundance, but it enjoyed a tumultuous reception. On social media, film cognoscenti quickly said the film was a hit, with the potential to break into the mainstream, and reviewers followed up with overwhelmingly positive announcements.
Variety ‘s Owen Gleiberman was exuberant and called the film a ‘gem’.
“In many ways, it’s a very conventional film with custom story arcs that just move and dissolve, and emotional peaks and valleys that touch big fat rounded chords of inspiration,” he wrote. Yet, the film, written and directed by Siân Heder (it is a remake of the French film ‘La Famille Bélier’ in 2014), brings it all down with so much sincerity and precision, and the film is so captivatingly well-executed that you come grateful that this kind of dramatic craftsmanship still exists. ”
Distributors seem to agree, and there was a general belief that ‘CODA’ had potential for awards, and some insiders even predicted a date with the Oscars. To that end, the filmmakers in the 2021 awards season are looking for some theatrical release.
Heder directed the film and wrote the screenplay. The cast includes Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, Eugenio Derbez, Daniel Durant, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Amy Forsyth and Kevin Chapman.