In its 28th year of showcasing films at the Chicago International Film Festival, the Black Perspectives program has put archival classics back on the big screen, giving them the opportunity to impact new audiences in new ways. With the power of 4K restoration technology, which means that the image and sound of a film are remastered and significantly improved, films are given a second life and sometimes a second time in the cinema. For works by black filmmakers, restorations and digitizations mean permanence in the archive and inclusion and proper recognition within the wider filmmaking canon.

The restored “Replacement” is overflowing with romance, poetics, innocence and heartbreak. Director Zeinabu irene Davis boasts that the restoration of her 1999 film is actually a “rejuvenation”, with additional accessibility elements such as closed captioning and improved sound. As the revitalized film is recirculated, there is also regenerative representation for non-hearing individuals. The black community to independent filmmakers to those battling autoimmune diseases will all be able to resonate with reflections of themselves on screen.

Originally shot on 16mm black and white film, the restoration manages to retain all the warmth that comes with celluloid. As the film oscillates between the story of two lovers in the 1900s and the 1990s, there are important connecting points in each plotline: a trip to the movies, laughter in learning, and sweet nothings whispered in American Sign Language on the shores of Lake Michigan. Davis and crew strategically use archival photos from the Chicago Historical Society to transport the audience to Chicago in the Progressive Era. Costume design and title cards are the cherry on top of making the period bit sequences of “Compensation” immersive and believable.

Titled after and inspired by Paul Laurence Dunbar poem of the same name, which also appears throughout the film in songs and love letters, Davis, along with the film’s composer, ragtime pianist Reginald R. Robinson, screenwriter and actor, create an exceptional independent take on common taboo subjects. Intertwining issues of race and gender are explicitly evident, but “Compensation” embraces the theme of ability and capability with a great deal of care while playing out its motif of the power of education.

Based on Sam Greenlee’s 1969 novel, “The Ghost Who Sat at the Door” is an exploratory, calculated adaptation. Directed by Ivan Dixon, the Chicago-set story is enhanced by a smart, witty, inspiring script, cozy ’70s fashion, and tactful action-forward sequences. At the beginning of the film, we witness the superficial efforts of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to become more diverse after a politician runs for office on the basis that the CIA is exclusive to increase the black vote in his favor. When the CIA tries to fend off these claims, they only hire a black agent. From the beginning of the film, it is unequivocally clear that the powers that be only care about the optics; there are no true allies on the inside.

Gil Scott-Heron’s song “Whitey on the moon” kept running through my mind throughout the CIA training process and when protagonist Dan Freeman, played phenomenally by Lawrence Cook, returns home to train guerrilla troops. “You can’t cage an animal and expect it not to fight back one day,” Freeman says as one of the many reasons he returned radicalized with purpose and a plan. At the time of its debut, “The Spook Who Sat by the Door” was easily disguised by Hollywood as another “Blaxploitation” movie; with this reissue, it has the opportunity to right its place in the archives as a sophisticated, exhortation drama that makes audiences question who gets to live the American dream versus the American nightmare.

Read more about “The ghost that sat at the door” in this feature by Robert Daniels.

“It happened in Chicago, but it could have been anywhere.” Stan Lathan’s 1973 film, “Save the Children” documents the Reverend Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in 1972 and the PUSH EXPO, where the black community came together and rejoiced in their contributions to history and culture while focusing on what it takes to be successful in the future. The exhibition built around the theme of “save the children” brought together black businesses, artists, musicians, community members and leaders. Despite showcasing several industries, with a focus on providing educational tools to the black community, the documentary “Save the Children,” now on Netflix, features only powerful musical performances and occasional speeches from Reverend Jackson.

During its 99-minute running time, contemporary audiences can experience intimate performances from Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Jackon 5, Curtis Mayfield, The Temptations, Roberta Flack and many more. The film’s brief voice-over introduction is the only informational crutch that supports the audience’s understanding of the symposium’s diversity and purpose. PUSH EXPO was a full five days of programming on Chicago’s South Side; to be classified as a concert film is a disservice to the amount of activations to uplift the black community. But the joy and excitement abound as the camera pans to the crowd, singing, swaying and smiling. To the filmmakers’ credit, one must admit that “Save the Children” was saved from extinction; Acquiring the original footage and audio was quite a feat, hence the focus on including the best performances and speeches. There are also balancing moments captured as the camera pans through the streets, illuminating both the beauty and hardships society faces. In these moments, the viewer is reminded that this is not just a musical film; it’s the movies that keep a legacy alive.

Just like “The Spook Who Sat by the Door”, the authentic psychedelic fashion of Black folk in the 70’s saturates the screen with huge colors that match the vibrant music we hear. As the film ends with a sermon from Reverend Jackson, the audience is left with a sense of empowerment, but the film’s audience wonders: what happened to PUSH EXPO?