The touching tribute to Joni Mitchell in the Oscar-nominated film ‘Coda’
Yesterday, as the Oscar nominations were revealed, Coda represented a huge step forward when it comes to disabilities being represented in mainstream culture as the film became the first Best Picture nominee to feature a predominantly deaf cast.
The movie follows the story of Ruby, a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) as she faces up to the predicament of either pursuing her passion for music and leaving home for college or staying with her parents and helping to save the family fishing business.
Sian Heder’s touching family drama has not only been heralded for its originality but also the touching way it looks at a family life rarely seen on the big screen. Part of this emotive backbone comes from the soundtrack itself.
And of all the soundtrack moments, the tribute to Joni Mitchell with her epic take on the highs and lows of love, ‘Both Sides Now’, a song described by folk musician The Tallest Man on Earth as the greatest ever written, proves to be one of the most stirring.
Performed by Ruby (Emelia Jones) in both song language and vocally, the song is a beautiful moment in the film. Even though it is about love in the romantic sense, the trials and tribulations double-up to describe the highs and lows at play in the film, unearthing a universality to the track. In fact, even Joni Mitchell has called it “incredible”.
Whether or not Coda will be lucky enough to grab an award will be answered on March 27th when the ceremony goes ahead at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The ceremony is set to commence at 8pm ET / 5 pm PT and 1am in the UK.
You can check out the poignant moment form the film below.
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