SCREENING IN THE BERNARD OSHER FOUNDATION AUDITORIUM
“An engaging, exuberant portrait…touches on Deaf identity and expression in a way that very few films have done.”
97 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Shoshannah Stern. In English and American Sign Language with English subtitles. DCP.
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. Matlin's incredible journey continued with standout roles in acclaimed projects such as The West Wing and the Oscar®-winning CODA, all while relentlessly advocating for greater inclusion and accessibility both within Hollywood and beyond its borders.
Directed by Shoshannah Stern, the film offers an unflinching look at Matlin’s remarkable life through the lens of her primary language, American Sign Language. Matlin opens up about her personal and professional struggles—her meteoric rise to fame, the challenges of navigating a predominantly hearing industry, the pain of a tumultuous high-profile relationship, getting sober and years of being overlooked by Hollywood —alongside her many triumphs.