Children of a Lesser God · AAC Presents: The Cinema · Artistic Accessibility Collective

Children of a Lesser God(1986)

Marlee Matlin's Oscar-winning performance as a deaf woman in a relationship with a hearing speech therapist who fails to see her on her own terms. Complex — the film's framing reflects its era, and its ending is contested. But Matlin's performance, the centrality of ASL, and the frank depiction of Deaf-hearing power dynamics make it required viewing for understanding how mainstream cinema has engaged with Deaf identity. Matlin remains the only deaf actress to have won the Academy Award.