Deaf filmmaker Shoshannah Stern and Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin unfold life and career through sign language-centered dialogue. Starting with Matlin's debut film Children of a Lesser God (1986), the film illuminates her journey against abuse and addiction, her critical awareness of tokenism in the film industry, and her ongoing activities for media accessibility and deaf representation. With a format centered on sign language without dialogue, the film features Troy Kotsur, Henry Winkler, and Aaron Sorkin among others, painting a portrait of the fight toward resilience, solidarity, and inclusion.​

As the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actress, Marlee Matlin was, for many years, the lone deaf performer in Hollywood’s hearing world—a pioneer who showed a new generation what was possible. Directed by fellow deaf actor Shoshannah Stern, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is not only a chronicle of an extraordinary career but also a celebration of the journey from isolation to solidarity.

The subtitle, “Not Alone Anymore,” resonates on multiple levels. As a child, Stern was inspired to become an actor after watching Matlin accept her Oscar; years later, it was Matlin who encouraged her to step behind the camera. Through interviews with Stern and a new generation of deaf artists, the film traces how one woman’s trailblazing path helped forge a community that is, in every sense, no longer alone.

The film’s most intimate moments unfold as Stern and Matlin sit together, conversing in sign language. As a director, Stern draws out powerful stories from her longtime mentor—accounts of abuse, addiction, and the hard-won process of recovery. These stories, though deeply personal, stand as part of a shared cultural legacy, offering strength to a community that now moves forward together.

 

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