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Simon Meechan

How to watch Coda, Oscar winner for best picture, for free on Apple TV

This year's best picture winner at the Oscars is the first time a streaming company has won the top award.

Family drama Coda has gone from winning top prize at the independence Sundance Film Festival to being named the best movie of the year at the Academy Awards.

Usually, we'd associate the Oscars with big-screen releases in cinemas, but Coda is hosted on Apple TV's streaming service, having been bought by the company for $25m after its Sundance success. That means you can watch Coda at home today, and there is a free trial for new customers.

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What is Oscar winner Coda about?

The film stars Emilia Jones as Ruby Rossi, who has deaf parents. Its title, Coda, is an acronym, meaning Children of Deaf Parents.

Coda is about Ruby's relationship with her deaf fisherman family, who she helps in their business while aspiring to become a musician herself. Deaf performers Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin and Daniel Durant star along Emilia as Ruby's fisherman family.

The film, adapted by director Sian Heder as an English-language remake of the 2014 French-language film La Famille Belier, also won the best-adapted screenplay Oscar and Troy Kotsur won best supporting actor.

Heder has said working on the film had been “life-changing” and hopes to make her career about being an ally to the deaf community.

Who stars in Coda's Oscar-winning cast?

Emilia Jones stars as Ruby, with deaf actors Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin and Daniel Durant as her family. The actors made history as the first primarily deaf cast to win top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, before their Oscar success.

Troy Kotsur became the first male deaf actor to win best supporting actor when he scooped the Oscar for his work on Coda. Co-star Marlee Matlin was the first deaf actor to win an Oscar when she won best actress back in 1987.

Troy dedicated his Oscar to “the deaf community, the Coda community and the disabled community”, adding: “This is our moment”.

The actor appeared overwhelmed as he made his way to the Oscars stage accompanied by his interpreter, who has been a regular fixture throughout his awards season journey, where he has picked up a string of gongs.

Addressing director Sian Heder on stage, he said: “You are our bridge and your name will forever be on that bridge Sian Heder bridge in Hollywood.”

He added: “My dad he was the best signer in our family, but he was in a car accident and he became paralysed from the neck down and he was no longer able to sign.

“Dad, I learnt so much from you I’ll always love you, you are my hero. Thank you to my biggest fans.

“I just want to say this is dedicated to the deaf community, the Coda community and the deaf community. This is our moment.”

Where to watch Coda, including for free

Apple TV has the rights to stream Coda, although some cinemas will be showing it too. Apple TV currently offers a free seven-day trial, after which it costs £4.99 a month to subscribe. You can watch Apple TV on Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads, as well as streaming devices like Fire TV and Roku, on Smart TVs and through games consoles

Sign up to Apple TV either through a free trial or subscription here. Remember to cancel your free trial before the 7 day period ends if you do not want to be charged a monthly fee.

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