Now it's Sybil Fox Richardson's turn to tell their decade-long love story. In this sequel to the Academy Award-nominated documentary short “Time,” Richardson (aka Fox Rich) steps behind the camera to capture the family's search for justice through the legal system. “Time II: Unfinished Business” was directed by the self-taught Rich and includes footage taken from her personal archives spanning more than 30 years.
While Garrett Bradley's acclaimed 2020 documentary Time depicted the romance between Fox Rich and her husband Robert Richardson, who is serving a 60-year prison sentence, Unfinished Business charts the couple's ongoing efforts to secure Rob's release and bring back his wrongfully imprisoned nephew and partner Ontario, as well as countless others, according to the official synopsis.
“Since my release from prison in 2002, my guiding principle has been 'to be free to set others free,'” Ricci said in an official statement. “Through the power of storytelling, I aim to shed light on the struggles and prejudices faced by people within the criminal justice system and explore themes of personal transformation and the impact of love, family and community in the lives of marginalized people.”
She continued, “By amplifying these stories, we pave the way for a more just and compassionate society. We invite you to join us on this transformative journey with the world premiere of TIME II: Unfinished Business, an experience that promises to resonate with you long after the credits roll.”
In his 2020 review of Time for IndieWire, David Ehrlich wrote, “Rob's imprisonment suggests that time is measured not by what changes, but what stays the same. And Fox's struggle to free him might suggest that time is measured not by what's lost, but what's not lost.”
Ehrlich adds: “How can 21 years be conveyed in a single film, let alone an 81-minute documentary? And that degraded opening shot (taken from the first of 1,000 video messages that a black Louisiana woman, Sybil Fox Richardson (aka Fox Rich), recorded for her husband as he awaited his release from state prison) suggests an equally simple answer: It's measured not by duration, but by loss.”
At the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Bradley won the U.S. Documentary Directing award, becoming the first African-American woman to win the award in that category. The film was one of the most acclaimed films of the year, receiving an Oscar nomination as well as nominations from Indie Spirits and multiple critics groups. It also won the Gotham Award for Best Documentary.
“Time II: Unfinished Business” will premiere at the Essence Film Festival next month, and you can check out the first teaser for the film, exclusively from IndieWire, below.
