Children of a Lesser God, the deafness drama loved by the Oscars – and hated by the deaf
Before Sound of Metal, the film that won Marlee Matlin a Best Actress Oscar was seen as a triumph for the deaf community. But was it?
William Hurt and Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God
Credit: Alamy
The six Oscar nominations this year for Sound of Metal make it the most broadly acclaimed film on the subject of deafness in 35 years. While gladly welcomed by most critics, Darius Marder’s rehab drama hasn’t reached these heights without complaints from some members of the deaf community – especially for the use of hearing actors, Riz Ahmed and Paul Raci, in both its nominated roles.