MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE at Sundance Film Festival

by Jason Godbey

Marlee Matlin made her screen debut in Children of a Lesser God in 1986. At the tender age of 20, she became the first deaf actor to win an Oscar, and for many she was an inspiration. The new documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is an intimate portrait of the actor directed by Shoshannah Stern who is herself a deaf actor making her directorial debut.

From the first frame of the film, we see that this is no ordinary biography. We get a behind-the-scenes look at the process of the interview subjects, some of whom communicate in American Sign Language but don’t speak aloud. We also see how the hearing subjects, people like Aaron Sorkin and Henry Winkler, will communicate with the director via an interpreter and an earpiece. Then there’s the interview with Matlin herself who appears to be incredibly relaxed sitting and talking with her friend Shoshannah. It’s an approach like no other, and we see from the start that Stern’s perspective is unique and the best possible point of view from which to tell this story.

I confess I didn’t know much about the life of Marlee Matlin, just what I’d seen on screen. As it turns out, her off-screen life is just as extraordinary as her on-screen performances. At the time, being the first deaf person to win an Academy Award came with a great deal of responsibility. She became an advocate for the deaf, and among her many accomplishments, she is a big part of the reason why so much of our entertainment is closed-captioned. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

With this film, Stern has created a compelling, compassionate, and impactful experience. It is a friendly portrait told with love and admiration for the most part, but it is honest. We learn about Matlin’s drug abuse and stint in rehab, the abuse she suffered at the hands of then boyfriend, William Hurt, the sexual abuse she suffered as a child, and her difficult upbringing being the only deaf child in her family.

We also see how she was treated and perceived by the media as the “handicapped” nominee at the Oscars getting the “sympathy vote.” From today’s point of view, It’s hard to believe these remarks were uttered let alone a prevailing opinion in the 1980s, but that’s the world Marlee Matlin was coming-of-age in, and these are among the prejudices she endured. With films like Coda taking home the Oscar for Best Picture and Troy Kotsur winning the Oscar for Best Actor, it appears we’ve come a long way, but have we come far enough? It should be noted that Marlee Matlin insisted that Kotsur’s role in Coda be played by a deaf actor, otherwise he would have never been considered.

Through her story we’re reminded of some essential themes of the human condition like the need to belong, to communicate, to connect with people, and the need for representation. Perhaps through this film and the work of actors like Marlee Matlin, viewers will feel a little less alone and a little more inspired.

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore premiered at Sundance Film Festival but does not yet have a date for wide release. Look for this one on the festival circuit and be sure to follow us here for more film festival news and movie reviews.

Originally published at http://behindtherabbitproductions.wordpress.com on January 29, 2025.