Arrived in Sundance without distribution, it is now the first premiere of the festival to win the best film.

“CODA” made history at the Oscars for Apple TV + on Sunday night, when it became the first movie to be distributed by a streaming service that won Best Picture. But the film’s victory is also a great moment for indie films: “CODA” was independently funded and produced, sold to Apple at Sundance, and marks the first time a Sundance premiere has won the top Hollywood award in the festival’s 44-year history. Director Sian Heder and her producers went behind the scenes at the Oscars, after “CODA” won both the best film and the best adapted screenplay, except for the protagonist Troy Kotsur who won the second male role. Heather hastened to stress the importance of the moment for independent filmmakers. In fact, Heder said she was once convinced that the film could not even be made because of her commitment to decisions such as choosing deaf actors like Kotsur. “This is a huge moment for the independent film,” he said. “When we went to Sundance, we did not have a distributor. I just walked into Sundance thinking, “I hope someone buys this movie” and we just won the best movie. This is the material from which dreams are made, it was truly amazing. “Yes, for the women out there, for the independent filmmakers out there, for anyone struggling to tell a story, this is a beautiful moment.”

“CODA” stars Emilia Jones as a CODA high school student, a child of deaf adults and the only member of her family of hearing fishermen to play Marlee Matlin, Kotsur and Daniel Durant. She is torn between her love of singing and her family’s expectations of helping them in their business. The film is a remake of the 2014 French film “La Famille Bélier”. This film was a success in its home country, but it mainly appointed actors with hearing aids to play deaf roles. Producer Philippe Rousselet had the rights to make a remake in the US and used Heder for the job. The group faced a difficult battle trying to secure funding in light of its commitment to giving more deaf actors, even with Matlin’s early attachment to the play. Until Kotsour’s victory last night, Matlin was the only deaf actor to win an Oscar for 1986’s “Children of a Lesser God.” “It’s frustrating to be a freelance director, that you’re supposed to run out and have movie stars in your film and that’s how your film is funded,” Hunter said. “I’d rather see the film die and never be made, than shoot it the wrong way. Yes, I stayed in my arms and for a long time I thought “Okay, because of what I believe and because of how I feel this movie should be made, it will never be made”. So happy for ALL the achievements of this wonderfully talented team and the courageous independence of Team Captain @sianheder to fight for how it was made and with whom it was made. – TABITHA JACKSON (@ TABULA4) March 28, 2022 In addition to Rousselet, “CODA” includes producers Patrick Wachsberger, the former Lionsgate film director responsible for hits such as “Hunger Games” and “La La Land”. “CODA” was funded by the French power company Pathé and Rousselet’s Vendome Pictures. “When we chose Sundance, it was already an incredible victory, we were so happy,” said Wachsberger. It premiered on the opening night of Sundance 2021 with an enthusiastic reception. Reading the tea leaves, Apple executives moved quickly to do what was necessary to secure the rights to the crowdpleaser. Within days, the company bought the film for $ 25 million, making it the largest purchase ever made for a Sundance film. “CODA” continued to scan the festival awards, winning a Grand Jury Prize, the Audience Award, Best Director and a Special Jury Prize for the cast of the ensemble. For Apple, money is not an issue: Reports estimate that the company spent more than $ 10 million on the Oscar campaign for “CODA,” a film that was made for less than $ 10 million. This helped Apple win the coveted award for being the first streaming service to win the Best Picture award. It’s coming as Netflix has come a long way in terms of awards: In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Netflix had more Oscar nominations than any other distributor. Every year, there are dozens of films that cross the festival circuit that never find a distributor, nor does anyone care who is willing to run such a powerful awards campaign. The way Wachsberger and Heder say it, Apple’s commitment to the film and its victory in the best film are indeed signs that “the independent film is still alive.” “Sure,” Wachsberger said. “We’re not folding the stage, okay? No one internationally or domestically folds the stage. In fact, we will continue to make these films that we are interested in for a global audience. “

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