The 2026 iteration of the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival began, as it consistently does, with a powerful and provocative film.
This year, it was a classic: the powerful 1986 romantic drama Children of a Lesser God, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year.
Marlee Matlin’s Oscar-winning performance as a young deaf woman in love is an enormous highlight in the poignant love story between a woman who communicates solely by signing and a passionate teacher who believes she must learn to read lips and speak phonetically.
Matlin’s performance is brilliantly expressive, and a delight to revisit.
Even more delightful was an extended interview with Matlin conducted by MLFF director Shira Dubrovner. Matlin was also awarded the festival’s Sierra Spirit Award, focusing on her uncompromising commitment to presenting “deaf stories – which are universal stories.”
Dubrovner aptly characterized Matlin’s film performance as being “so raw and vulnerable and layered” despite being just 19 at the time.
Matlin relates that she had a supporting role in the Chicago company of the stage production of Childrenf of a Lesser God – her first paid role – when the film’s director Randa Haines tapped her for the lead.
“Randa is amazing she is an actor’s director, I learned from the best,” Matlin says.
Her first film role had her learning every aspect of filmmaking on the fly but with total commitment.
“I remember every scene we shot, the good days and bad days are all so vivid in my mind after all these years,” Matlin says.
After not having viewed the film in many years, Matlin recently watched it with captions burned in as they were at our MLFF screening. She feels that her role in the pivotal film led to her continued advocacy for the deaf community while the film itself was “a chapter I went through growing up on film.”
While the film was made from a “hearing perspective,” it still provided insight into living a rewarding life without hearing.
Matlin recently came full circle portraying a role as the mother of a young deaf girl in the 2020 award winner Coda.
Today, Matlin stresses the importance of “pushing for your own projects” in the film industry, laughing that “if i werent an actress i would own a candy shop.”
Following the screening and interview, Dubrovner and fest programming director Paul Sbrizzi presided over a lively after party with festival filmmakers featuring local brews and wine.
More outstanding films ahead!
– Genie Davis; photos by Davis and Cheryl Henderson
