A post-film discussion with filmmaker Zeinabu irene Davis and producer Nicoletta Vangelisti is moderated by Autumn Johnson, film programmer and cultural worker.* 

A milestone of independent cinema, Zeinabu irene Davis’s first feature film (presented in a 4K rejuvenation) follows parallel African American love stories between a deaf woman and a hearing man set decades apart. With inspiration from the work of legendary African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, this moving narrative depicts the struggle to overcome racism, disability, and discrimination. Davis innovatively incorporates silent-film techniques to make Compensation accessible to hearing and deaf viewers alike, embracing the vast world of possibilities of language and communication.

*The discussion features ASL interpretation.

Tickets

• $9 general admission; $7 MFAH members, students with ID, seniors (65+)

Plan Your Visit

• This screening takes place in Brown Auditorium Theater in the Law Building.
• Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map

About the Filmmaker
Zeinabu irene Davis graduated from the MFA program in film and video at UCLA and has since produced numerous award-winning projects. Focusing on the depiction of African American women, her interests include altering and diversifying the terrains of mass media, film history, world cinema, and folklore. Among her films are Cycles (1989), A Powerful Thang (1991), Mother of the River (1995), and Spirits of Rebellion (2011). She currently serves as a professor of communications at the University of California San Diego.