“TIME II: Unfinished Business” is a gripping sequel to the Oscar-nominated documentary “TIME.” Directed by Fox Rich, this film delves into the aftermath of her husband Rob Rich’s release from a 21-year imprisonment and their ongoing fight for justice for their unjustly imprisoned nephew, Ontario, and many others caught in the system.
Fox Rich is a fighter, entrepreneur, abolitionist, and mother of six boys who spent over two decades campaigning for her husband Rob G. Rich’s release, who was serving a 60-year sentence for a bank robbery they committed in a moment of desperation.
Ahead of the sequel’s Essence Festival premiere, we spoke with both Fox Rich and Rob Rich about the film and its impact on their lives.
“I would think that the first one was just an extension of a fuller story that we are looking to tell,” Fox Rich said. “And when the first one wrapped and the fullness of the story still remained, it dictated that we continue.”
Watch the interview below:
While utilizing personal video diaries and intimate footage to reveal the brutal realities and unwavering commitment required to challenge systemic injustice, Fox Rich’s directorial debut captivates audiences while informing people about the judicial systems in Louisiana and the systemic issues within the justice system and the enduring struggle for equity and reform overall.
“We just had more than one person always saying to us, I just wanted to know more,” Rich Fox. “We just felt like we had a duty and an obligation not only to the 2.3 million people that are incarcerated in this country and their families but also to the lovers of that film that were left really thirsty to know more and discover more about our story”
Thanks to his legal acumen and Fox Rich’s advocacy, Rob Rich was released in 2018. Post-release, he earned a B.A. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, became a published author, and played a crucial role in passing groundbreaking legislation in Louisiana.
“Unfortunately, when I was able to get out through clemency in 2018, our fall partner, our nephew was still incarcerated,” Rob Rich said. “We had a duty and an obligation to make sure that he experienced the same freedoms that we were experiencing. And because that was the unfinished business for us, then it dictated or necessitated that the cameras had to continue rolling because there was more of the story that needed to be told.”
Rob Rich was inspired by the American dream and attempted a bank robbery to salvage their business, which led to a 61-year prison sentence. No one was harmed in the robbery.
In “TIME II: Unfinished Business,” Rob Rich said he felt “survivor’s guilt” after he was released while his nephew, Ontario, was still locked up.
“When I think about the term, I know more people, more broadly speaking usually think about survivor’s guilt when they think about people that have gone off to war,” Rob Rich said. “… Me getting out through clemency did nothing to fix the situation for my nephew, nor those countless other people that were also relying on that law as a way to come back home to their family members. So when you have an institution that is built upon slave labor or cheat labor and those kinds of things, there’s not necessarily an incentive in place for them to let go hundreds of people that are already incarcerated that they’re benefiting from. So that’s a hell of a battle.”
“TIME II: Unfinished Business” not only highlights the personal journey of the Rich family but also underscores the broader implications of systemic injustice, making it a must-watch for anyone committed to understanding and addressing these critical issues.
“I think the ultimate goal, where we must go is to the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution,” Rich Fox said. “We have got to remove the exception calls from the 13th Amendment. Either we’re going to be a free nation or we’re going to be a nation of slavery, but we cannot be both. When you remove slavery institution, then things like working human beings for free, they go away.”