God in Film Guide: CODA

God in Film study guides combine your two favourite things, God and movies. Upskill yourself for group discussions that explores deep themes. Learn to be the Producer, Director and Reviewer of your own film discussion group.

Each God in Film guide provides you with a synopsis, planning guide, tips and specially selected clips for discussing in a group.

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Synopsis: Set in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in the United States, the Rossi family make their living within the fishing community. Ruby (Emilia Jones) is 17 years old and is the only hearing member of her culturally deaf family. She serves as the interpreter and negotiator in their business dealings and within the community. Her parents and brother work hard to scrape by in the competitive industry, but their daughter hopes to sing. Because she has not been heard by her family, they have difficulty connecting with her dream or understanding her struggles in life. Their days begin at three o’clock each day and they put in a full day of hard work. Still, after the haul at sea, Ruby must go to school smelling of fish, looking forward to her time in the choir room with Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez) and the choir.

Her teacher sees her talent and does all he can to invest in her aspirations of attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston,despite challenges at home where everything is changing in the family business. Even though her family is exceptionally close, they rely heavily on Ruby. Frank (Troy Kotsur) and Jessie (Marlee Matlin) need their daughter to help them with a new business venture. This all leads to tensions and frustrations within the home and at school, mainly as she develops strong feelings for Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), her new singing partner.