Dolby Creator Lab Grant Film
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is a powerful American documentary that follows Marlee Matlin’s incredible journey as the first deaf actor to win an Oscar. Told in American Sign Language, Marlee opens up about the highs and lows of fame — from groundbreaking moments to painful setbacks.
Directed by first-time filmmaker Shoshannah Stern, a deaf actress herself, the film explores Matlin’s personal and professional struggles and successes through signed interviews with Matlin, her family, friends and colleagues. What unfolds in Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is a powerful portrait of this influential artist and activist.
The film was awarded the Dolby Creator Lab Grant in 2024 and premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and has since been featured at several other notable festivals, including Tribeca, Hot Docs, and SFFILM. This post-production grant allowed the filmmakers to finish the film in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®. Audiences can look forward to its theatrical release on June 20, 2025, with streaming availability to follow.
Behind the scenes of Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
Go behind the scenes with director Shoshannah Stern and supervising sound editor Bonnie Wild to learn how the team reimagined sound and accessibility on set and on screen – showing ASL interpreters in action, pushing the use of captioning and subtitles in new directions, and using the immersive power of Dolby Atmos to allow both deaf and hearing audiences to connect more deeply with Matlin’s experience.
Behind the scenes of Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
Go behind the scenes with director Shoshannah Stern and supervising sound editor Bonnie Wild to learn how the team reimagined sound and accessibility on set and on screen – showing ASL interpreters in action, pushing the use of captioning and subtitles in new directions, and using the immersive power of Dolby Atmos to allow both deaf and hearing audiences to connect more deeply with Matlin’s experience.
“Until I got this grant, I just accepted the messaging that I had been receiving all along. Sound is not for you, it’s for hearing people. But through this experience, I was able to really share my relationship with sound, and share what sound means to me.”
Shoshannah Stern, Director
Dolby Creator Lab Grant
The Dolby Creator Lab Grant gives independent filmmakers support and access to cutting-edge Dolby tools to fully realize their creative vision. Partnerships with the Sundance Institute, SFFILM, Film Independent, and Chicken & Egg Pictures help films find wide audiences.