I don’t watch television without the closed captions on. Not because I’m deaf, but because I watch a lot of foreign films, and it helps me understand what the actors are saying through their thick accents. Little did I know that I needed to thank Marlee Matlin for this helpful app.
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
I would say that Shoshannah Stern’s documentary, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, is not so much a documentary as it is a beautiful and informative visit, where we, the audience, are invited to share in the triumphs, frustrations, and unexpected revelations. Stern’s documentary centers on the hidden struggles and joys of Marlee Matlin being the first deaf actor to receive an Academy Award.
After Marlee won the award for her performance in Children of a Lesser God, she was thrust into the spotlight. Not many people understood that deafness need not be a hindrance to the performing arts. To be honest, not many people understood that deafness was not a barrier to leading a happy and active life. Marlee and Shoshannah cover a lot of topics, including the abuse Marlee endured while in a relationship with actor William Hurt, and Marlee’s struggles with addiction, as well as her tireless fight for accessibility, representation and equity for herself and other deaf actors.
What made Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore so personal was that both Stern, who was born deaf, and Marlee conducted the entire documentary using American Sign Language (ASL). I enjoyed watching the documentary so much that I watched it twice.
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore made its Canadian Theatrical Premiere on July 25, 2025, and is currently screening in Toronto at the TIFF Lightbox and in Vancouver at the VIFF Centre with more cities to follow. Screenings will include open captions.
Interview with Marlee Matlin and Shoshannah Stern
Gilbert: Hi, Marlee and Shoshannah. I absolutely loved the documentary and learned so much from the personal revelations coming from Marlee and the other deaf actors featured in this film.
Shoshannah, you made this documentary so comfortable for both Marlee and us in the audience with that big comfy couch, but were you ever worried that a documentary using only sign language might keep people from watching it?
Shoshannah Stern: I wasn’t, no. I’ve loved film and documentaries for as long as I can remember, even when they’re about people who communicate differently than I do. Just because I absorb and receive their stories in a different way than they do has never stopped me from relating to them as humans. What actually worried me was thinking about having to tell Marlee’s story in the way the audience is used to, because the powers that be would have that same fear you just mentioned. But I was never worried about that because I believe that audiences are smarter than what these same powers give them credit for. I knew they were ready, even excited about receiving stories in a different sort of way, especially when that gives them the necessary insight to understand the person the film is illustrating.
Gilbert: Marlee, this one is for you. Thank you for your advocacy for closed captions. It helps me with reviewing foreign films. I will ask the same question that I asked Shoshannah. Were you worried about the reception this documentary would receive because it was done primarily in sign language?
Marlee Matlin: Absolutely not. My primary language of communication is American Sign Language. As Shoshannah said, the film is about exploring my world and my history and without the opportunity to be told that way, and by taking it one step further and telling the story with captions, you get the real me; that’s what I was aiming for when I signed onto the project.
Gilbert: This question is for both Marlee and Shoshannah. You are both successful, and you have opened the door for other actors who are deaf. Can we expect a collaboration on a film in the near future? Would you ever consider doing a horror or science fiction film?
Marlee Matlin: I’m open to doing anything with Shoshannah again. It’s about good writing and good directing, and Shoshannah has proven herself to be a master of both.
Shoshannah Stern: I’ve always been drawn to those genres, so yes. We would love to collaborate and have several things we are trying to get off the ground, including something in those genres. It really just depends on getting that yes that we need, so keep your fingers crossed!
