Considering that cinemas were closed during the past year due to the Covid pandemic, the 93rd Academy Awards were still a lavish affair – even if the invited celebrities were a severely paired-down 170, compared to the usual 3,000 guests.
It was the first time tinsel-town had amassed as a single gathering in more than a year, and despite the lack of open movie theatres, there were eight brand new films on show and an interesting past year of streaming movies and new ways of cinematic interaction.
On the red carpet was the former Oscar winner for the movie, Children of a Lesser God (1986), Marlee Matlin, who had been invited to the ceremony as one of the presenters. Matlin’s latest film CODA, a coming of age drama also staring Emilia Jones, is a film looking at family relationships within a deaf family and is hotly tipped for an Oscar win for next year.
Read more: Marlee Matlin on the stigmas of hearing loss
Marlee Matlin at the Oscars
Her appearance at the Oscars was of course of great interest and significance to the deaf community, as she is one of the most famous high profile deaf people in America.
When Matlin won her Oscar at age 21 she was the youngest recipient in history and also the only deaf person to win one of the statuettes. Her appearance at Sunday’s ceremony began beautifully, as she stepped onto the red carpet in a dazzling Vivienne Westwood custom black and silver dress. This was the beginning of what was hotly anticipated as a night where deaf inclusivity also promised to be a star attraction.
How the Oscars upset the deaf community
In a move that upset the deaf community, Matlin’s evening was spoiled – not on stage, but by a camera crew too eager to pull away from the star as she was introducing award nominees using American Sign Language (ASL) and instead cut away to show the nominees.
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