Compensation

Inspired by Ohio-native Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem of the same name, Compensation (Zeinabu irene Davis, 1999) tells two parallel love stories: one set in the early 20th century, one in the present day, with both featuring a Deaf woman and a hearing man. The couples, both played by John Earl Jelks and Deaf actress Michelle A. Banks, must navigate the communication and cultural barrier between them as well as the ever-present toll of structural racism on their lives.  

Notable for its use of American Sign Language and silent film–style title cards, the film also features newly created open captions designed by filmmaker Alison O’Daniel (The Tuba Thieves). Davis received a Wexner Center Artist Residency Award and an inaugural Ohio Humanities Film Fellows at the Wex grant in 2023. (93 mins., 4K DCP) 

After the screening, stay for a talk between Davis and Octavian E. Robinson, Ohio State associate professor in the Department of Women‘s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and director of the Center for ASL and Deaf Equity. 

 
This film features open captions. ASL and CART captioning will be available for the prescreening introductions and postscreening conversation.