Although many films are made in Gloucester and around Cape Ann, CODA is one in which Gloucester itself is one of the stars. CODA (which is an acronym for Child of Deaf Adults) is the story of Ruby Rossi, a senior in high school who’s the only hearing member of a deaf family. Ruby’s parents and older brother fish for a living and Ruby joins them on the boat when she is not at school. As the interpreter for the family’s fishing enterprise, Ruby is torn between helping her family’s business stay afloat or leaving the family to go to college and pursue her dreams of being a singer. The film leans on Gloucester’s maritime history and spotlights the complexities of the modern fishing industry, through the lens of the Rossi family’s struggles.
Shot in pre-pandemic 2019, CODA was primarily filmed in and around Gloucester, Massachusetts. Locals and frequent visitors will readily recognize not just the landscapes, like the Steel Derrick Quarry and Lane’s Cove, but interiors ranging from Rockport’s Shalin Liu Performance Center (standing in for Boston’s Berklee College of Music) to Pratty’s Bar and Grill. In addition, there were several local resident cameos, including Gloucester’s Harbormaster, T.J. Ciarametaro.
CODA won at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and in 2022, won Oscars for all three categories for which it was nominated: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. In addition to winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, Troy Kotsur also won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA for his role as the family’s patriarch. Director Siân Heder made the pivotal decision to cast deaf actors, including Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, infusing authenticity into the film as well as raising the bar for the visibility and representation of the deaf community.
Primarily available to stream on Apple TV+, CODA has been re-released to theaters since its big night at the Oscars.
Where to Stay in Gloucester
Atlantic Vacation Homes offers a wide variety of vacation rental homes across Cape Ann that would be perfect for your next getaway. To book your accommodations, simply view available vacation rentals and enter your desired dates to get a quote. You can also call toll-free at (855) 853-9143 to speak with a Guest Experience Specialist.
