Sat, Jul 12 at 12:00pm: Post-screening discussion with Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing | BUY TICKETS
In 1987, at the age of just 21, Marlee Matlin shattered expectations as the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award® for her groundbreaking performance in CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD. Catapulted into the spotlight, she seized the moment to challenge an industry unprepared for her immense talent, emerging as a trailblazer — not only as a performer, but also as an author and activist. As Matlin opens up about her meteoric rise to fame and the challenges of navigating a predominantly hearing industry, director Shoshannah Stern reimagines traditional documentary storytelling, elevating ASL as the film’s heart and soul while removing conventional voiceovers and including open captions — creating an authentic and visually immersive experience. Through split-screen interviews with both Deaf and hearing contributors, the film weaves a poignant and inspiring narrative of Matlin’s legendary career, highlighting her tireless fight for inclusion and representation in an entertainment world that at first had no place for her.
“It’s a unique profile of Matlin, and by incorporating a wealth of her similarly deaf friends, the film sits in stark contrast to its contemporaries; when any interviewee uses sign language, and the sound drops to near zero, it’s hard not to feel all the more engaged.” —Brian Farvour, The Playlist “For NOT ALONE ANYMORE, the message isn’t just the medium: it’s the access to that medium, the fact that these messages are able to be shared, for some to see, some to hear, and all to benefit from.” —Kate Erbland, IndieWire “Aside from profiling Matlin, this film also touches on hearing-impaired identity and expression in a way few films have done so far.” —Leslie Felperin, Hollywood Reporter
