CODA: The Language Between Two Worlds

“Every family has its own language.”

This phrase, written on the poster for the movie “CODA,” best explains the entire film. Released in 2021, “CODA” tells the story of a girl living between the hearing world and Deaf culture. The title CODA stands for “Child of Deaf Adults,” referring to a hearing child raised by deaf parents.

The protagonist of the movie, Ruby Rossi, is the only hearing member of her family. Her parents and her older brother are all Deaf, and the family together runs a fishing business. Since she was young, Ruby had to take the role of interpreter for her family, serving as a bridge between them and the outside world, whether at the hospital, the bank, the market, or school. 

Yet, Ruby also has another world, music. She begins to dream a life by herself, outside of her family, after discovering her singing talent in a school choir class. Although the family loves Ruby, at the same time, they are dependent on her. However, because Ruby also loves her family, she finds it difficult to choose her path. 

“CODA” is not a mere coming-of-age film and does not simply portray Deaf characters as those who are in need of help. Instead, the Deaf family is portrayed as strong and authentic. American Sign Language (ASL) is naturally utilized throughout the film, and tactual Deaf actors play the lead roles. Furthermore, many scenes suggest that listening is not the only way to understand the world. At times, certain moments of silence speak the loudest and convey a deeper emotion.

The movie, “CODA,” is notable because it is a story that consists of more than just spoken words and portrays the complex lives of those living between different worlds.