If watching Apple’s CODA on the small screen warmed your heart, imagine the elation of seeing it on the big screen – and for free, no less.
CODA tells the story of Ruby (Emilia Jones), the only hearing person in a deaf family, and her quest to break away from a hard-scrabble home life and to become a singer. It was nominated last month for Best Picture in the Academy Awards.
The film features a predominantly deaf cast, including Academy Award Winner Marlee Matlin and Troy Kostur, who now holds the distinction of being the first Deaf male actor to be nominated for an Oscar.
After a brief theatrical run last year and simultaneous streaming release on Apple TV+, Apple announced on Friday that it will release the movie in theaters in the U.S. and London, where the film has been nominated for four BAFTAs, from February 25 through February 27.
The screening will be free and feature open captions, meaning that the captions will appear onscreen for the entirety of the film.
A handful of screenings will have an added bonus: A live Q&A with the cast and writer/director Siân Heder. Those sessions will feature a live ASL (American Sign Language) translator.
Considering that the film deals with the deaf community and how Ruby spends much of her time trying to bridge the hearing world with her deaf parents, it’s heartening to see the film get a rerelease in this open and inclusive fashion. Obviously, Apple may also be trying to capitalize on Oscar momentum.
If you don’t want to visit a theater, you can still stream CODA on Apple TV+ and turn on close captions for a similar experience.
The Oscars are set to be held in Hollywood at the Dolby theater on March 27, at 8:00 PM ET.