Gloucester-Based Film 'CODA' Nominated For Best Picture Academy Award

GLOUCESTER (CBS) - Scenes from Gloucester thrust onto the world stage, with an official Oscar nomination for CODA Tuesday. The powerful coming of age film - which stands for 'Child Of Deaf Adults' - has some North Shore natives bursting with pride.

"The movie was like somebody had watched me growing up and threw it on the screen," said April Dooley, who works at Beverly School for the Deaf. But this film doesn't just touch her heart because of her students - this story is her heart.

"Both my parents are deaf. I have two brothers who are deaf. I have many nieces who are deaf. Both my kids are hard of hearing," Dooley said.

The movie shows the critical importance of access to language and to community. This is about more than awards - it's about representation.

"Growing up as a CODA you're in the deaf world but also in the hearing world. Seeing that in the movie it's like wow somebody understands," Dooley said.

Shared in open caption, it's a story everyone can enjoy together.

"I saw it in the theater. I want to see it again but probably in private because it does bring a lot of emotion," Dooley said.