When American Masters approached Marlee Matlin about doing a documentary, Matlin had one name in mind to direct: Shoshannah Stern.

Like Matlin, Stern is deaf. She also hadn't directed before. But Matlin, who herself became the first deaf person in the Directors Guild of America just a few years ago, was certain she was up to the task.

The resulting film, "Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore" is an intimate look at her life: Growing up in a hearing family; winning the best actress Oscar at 21 for her first movie role in "Children of a Lesser God," which film critic Rex Reed at the time called a "pity vote"; what she's described as an abusive romantic relationship with her co-star, the late William Hurt, which he denied; getting sober; and her experiences in an industry not equipped to accommodate deaf actors.

It's also an evocative portal into the world of the deaf community that uses groundbreaking techniques and sound design to put American Sign Language (ASL) and visual communication first. The film opens in select theaters Friday.

While Matlin told much of her story in the memoir "I'll Scream Later," on some level it wasn't a completely satisfactory experience. Before the #MeToo movement, its revelations were not treated entirely seriously in the media. But a documentary also provided an opportunity.

"We communicate visually," she said.

Matlin and Stern spoke though translators about the "CODA" effect, making the doc on their terms, and why they hope Reed sees this film. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: Shoshanna, what was your approach?

STERN: I had never seen a deaf person direct an episode of TV or film. Never. I thought, what does that even... Read More