Zeinabu irene Davis

Synopsis
The first feature by LA Rebellion trailblazer Zeinabu irene Davis presents two unique Black American love stories between a deaf woman and a hearing man. Inspired by a poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar, this moving narrative shares the struggle of two couples—one in the early 1900s, the other in the 1990s—to overcome racism, disability, and discrimination. A groundbreaking look at African American deaf culture, COMPENSATION incorporates sign language and silent-film techniques (such as title cards) to make itself accessible to hearing and deaf viewers alike and to share the vast possibilities of language and communication.Read More »

Quote:
As a woman anxiously awaits her overdue period, she performs African-based rituals of purification. She cleans house and body, and calls on the spirits (Orishas in the Yoruba tradition), receiving much needed inspiration and assurance in a dream. The film combines beautifully intimate still and moving images of the woman’s body and home space, along with playful stop-motion sequences. —Jacqueline Stewart, UCLA Film and Television ArchiveRead More »