Compensation Blu-ray Arrives August 26 from Criterion

Compensation, directed by Zeinabu irene Davis, offers a profound exploration of Deaf African American experiences and love across the 20th century. The film features dual performances by Michelle A. Banks and John Earl Jelks, portraying two couples in early 1910s and late 20th-century Chicago. With its unique audiovisual style incorporating archival photography, an original score of ragtime and African percussion, and lyrical editing, the film stands as a landmark in American independent cinema.

This edition presents a new 4K restoration supervised and approved by Davis in collaboration with UCLA Film & Television Archive and Wimmin with a Mission Productions, alongside the Sundance Institute. The film’s uncompressed stereo soundtrack enhances its immersive qualities.

Special features include audio commentary with Davis, screenwriter Marc Arthur Chéry, and director of photography Pierre H. L. Désir Jr., along with Q&As featuring cast and crew members. Two short films by Davis are included: Crocodile Conspiracy (1986) and Pandemic Bread (2023), the latter with an audio commentary and descriptive audio. Also featured is a 2021 interview with Davis and a new program examining select archival photographs and the significance of adinkra and vèvè symbols in the film.

Additional inclusions are the original trailer, English subtitles and intertitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, English descriptive audio, plus an essay by film scholar Racquel Gates, a director’s note, and a conversation between Davis and artist Alison O’Daniel regarding the captioning process.

Release Date: August 26, 2025.