Dates and Times
- Friday, Jul 11, 2025
- Saturday, Jul 12, 2025
- Sunday, Jul 13, 2025
- Monday, Jul 14, 2025
- Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025
- Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025
- Thursday, Jul 17, 2025
Details
In 1987, at the age of just 21, Marlee Matlin shattered expectations as the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award® when she won 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 she continued to relentlessly advocate for greater inclusion and accessibility both within Hollywood and beyond its borders. 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. 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 initially had no place for her. DIR/PROD Shoshannah Stern; PROD Robyn Kopp, Justine Nagan, Bonni Cohen. U.S., 2025, color, 97 min. In English and American Sign Language with English subtitles. NOT RATED
