Compensation Trailer: The newly restored independent film classic by Zeinabu Irene Davis is set to debut this February.

      Recently designated for preservation in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress due to its significant cultural, artistic, and historical contributions to filmmaking, Zeinabu irene Davis' *Compensation* premiered in 1999 at the Atlanta Film Festival and later screened at Sundance, TIFF, and more, culminating in a new restoration showcased at the New York Film Festival last fall. The film follows the life of a deaf African American woman in the early 1900s, paralleled by the life of another in the 1990s. Janus Films is set to give this landmark film a theatrical release starting February 21 at Film at Lincoln Center. A new trailer has been released in anticipation of the debut.

      Here’s the synopsis: “A landmark of independent cinema, *Compensation* is Zeinabu irene Davis's poignant and ambitious portrayal of the challenges faced by Deaf African Americans and the intricacies of romantic relationships at the turn of the twentieth century. Featuring remarkable dual performances by Michelle A. Banks and John Earl Jelks, the film tells the stories of Malindy and Arthur, a couple in 1910 Chicago, and Malaika and Nico, a couple living in the same city nearly eighty years later. Their narratives are skillfully intertwined through creative uses of archival photographs, an original score combining ragtime and African percussion, and a lyrical, tender editing style. Malindy, a resourceful and intelligent dressmaker, falls in love with Arthur, an illiterate migrant from Mississippi, by the shores of Lake Michigan. In the present, Malaika, an inspired and resilient graphic artist, finds herself drawn to a brash but charming children's librarian, Nico, on the same beach. Each couple navigates the challenges of their respective eras as Black Americans, facing obstacles such as systemic racism and emerging pandemics. *Compensation* remains a pioneering tale of inclusion and visibility, highlighting the social forces and prejudices that hinder love.”

      This 4K digital restoration, guided and approved by director Zeinabu irene Davis, was carried out by The Criterion Collection, The UCLA Film and Television Archive, and Wimmin With a Mission Productions in collaboration with The Sundance Institute, using a scan of the original 16mm camera negative. The 5.1 surround soundtrack was mastered from DAT tapes by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Newly developed open captions, designed by Alison O’Daniel with the Compensation Caption Creative Team, have been added.

      Watch the trailer and view the poster below, along with a NYFF Q&A.