Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore – London Premiere
Join Deaffest on Tour and Dogwoof on 6th August for an evening at the London premiere of ‘Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore’, featuring a thought-provoking panel led by Deaffest Co-Founder & Festival Director Nikki Stratton.
Writer & Director Ted Evans and producer and Lumo TV factual commissioner Cathy Heffernan will journey into the soul of the documentary – exploring the lived experiences, themes, and truths that ripple far beyond the screen.
Right: Ted Evans (photo by Mark Mecklenburgh, Willow Photography Ltd)
Cathy Heffernan is a Factual Commissioner at LumoTV, which commissions bold and original content in BSL. She is also an experienced journalist, producer, and director, with credits across the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, and LumoTV. Cathy is passionate about authentic representation and inclusive storytelling on screen.
Ted Evans is a London-based writer-director whose work spans film, television, and documentary. He began his career at the BBC and later co-directed two films for the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony. His award-winning shorts ‘The End’ and ‘Retreat’ (supported by Deaffest’s Ben Steiner Bursary) gained international acclaim, with ‘Retreat’ now in development as a feature. Ted has received three Deaffest awards, including Best Director and Best Film. Recent credits include ‘SIGNS FOR CHANGE’ (BBC1), ‘One Look (Reprise)’ (Sony Classical), and ‘Turn Up the Bass’ (Netflix).
Come for the documentary, stay for the conversation. 6th August – click here for all the details.
Join us at BFI Southbank on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, for the London premiere of the powerful documentary ‘Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore’, presented by Dogwoof and Deaffest on Tour.
Follow Marlee Matlin – the first Deaf actress to win an Academy Award (Oscar) and activist – in this visually immersive documentary directed by Deaf filmmaker Shoshannah Stern. Told through American Sign Language, it explores Marlee’s journey to stardom, her fight against industry barriers, and her bold advocacy for accessibility and representation in Hollywood and beyond.
Hosted by Deaffest Co-Founder and Festival Director Nikki Stratton, the evening will include:
- Introduction
- Screening of the documentary
- Panel discussion with Ted Evans (writer & director) and Cathy Heffernan (documentary producer and factual commissioner at Lumo TV)
- Live audience Q&A
The event will take place at NFT1, BFI Southbank (Belvedere Road, South Bank, London, SE1 8XT), starting at 6:00pm.
The documentary is rated 12A (advisory). BSL interpreters and live captioning will be provided.
Click here for the event details, programme, and to purchase your tickets.
July 15, 2025
Deaffest x Film’Ô: Nikki Stratton Reflects on an Inspiring Visit to Toulouse for the Film’Ô Festival!
We had the honour of being invited to attend the second Deaf-led Film’Ô Festival in Toulouse, France (13th–14th June 2025) – a celebration of Deaf cinema showcasing a stunning lineup of predominantly French short films, all captioned in English.
The experience was both inspiring and deeply moving. Sitting among an audience of over 700 Deaf attendees – most of whom were French and communicated through LSF (Langue des Signes Française) – was a powerful reminder of the richness and diversity within the global Deaf community.
While I don’t sign LSF myself, I’m deeply impressed by the language and acutely aware of its historical significance, particularly in Toulouse, which is home to the renowned bilingual Deaf school.
The Directors’ Q&A session on Friday offered valuable insight into the current and future landscape of Deaf filmmaking. Passionate discussions centred around expanding access to professional development, including training opportunities in film production conducted in sign language. These initiatives, still in their early stages, hold great promise for empowering Deaf creatives to further their careers – both within the Deaf community and in the mainstream film industry.
Saturday’s events took place at the prestigious Pathé Wilson Cinema, where we had the opportunity to watch the full lineup of films ahead of the awards ceremony. The ceremony itself was a fantastic celebration of talent, broadcast live on a large screen with International Sign interpreters present throughout. This made the event truly inclusive, allowing the audience to enjoy every speech, expression, and reaction from the winners as they received their accolades.
A significant number of the films, created by both seasoned professionals and emerging Deaf filmmakers, left a lasting impression on us. We are genuinely excited about the possibility of bringing some of these remarkable films to Deaffest in 2026.
A heartfelt thank you to Film’Ô Festival Director Michel Gonzalez and Secretary Timothée Massenet for warmly welcoming us and including us in this extraordinary event. It was truly an honour to be part of such a remarkable celebration. Witnessing and celebrating the incredible skills and talents within the Deaf filmmaking community – all within an atmosphere of connection, creativity, and cultural pride – was an unforgettable experience! Whilst we remain committed to championing all Deaf creatives in the film industry, we look forward to the continued growth and development of more Deaf-led films.
Our visit to Film’Ô Festival has been made possible with support from Film Hub Midlands through funds from the National Lottery. Film Hub Midlands support people to watch, show, and make films in the Midlands.
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