Entertainment
GROUNDBREAKING INDIE FILMMAKER MATTY RICH IS BACK, AND BEHIND THE LENS OF HIS NEW FILM “BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD”
BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD is an Official Selection of 2025 Pan African Film Festival
LOS ANGELES – Known for his gritty film content, pioneering, award-winning indie filmmaker Matty Rich has sparked excitement with his long-awaited return to filmmaking. His new film, BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD, starring Frank Stallone, Jack Scalia, Rhonda Morman as well as Rich is an official selection of the 2025 Pan African Film Festival. The screening will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2025 at the Culver Theater, located at 9500 Culver City, Calif. There will be a Q &A with Rich and the rest of the cast immediately following the screening. The 33rd Pan African Festival runs from February 4 through 17, 2025. For tickets to the screening, visit the festival’s website at https://paff2025.eventive.
“It feels good to be back in the director’s chair, bringing a film to life that’s been burning inside of me for more than a decade!” said Rich. “For two years, we filmed BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD on the weekends. The cast and crew were incredible, and their love and confidence in the project made me determined to finished it.” Rich added, “Even when there was no money, I continued writing, scheduling, praying and using my paychecks from teaching film school at AFI and Sundance to complete the project. And here we are … at the finish line!”
ABOUT BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD | Feature Narrative | 120 minutes
Movie Synopsis
Written, directed and produced by Matty Rich, BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD is a gripping drama and heartfelt love story, starring Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated artist and actor Frank Stallone as well as Rhonda Morman and legendary television heartthrob actor Jack Scalia, Thomas Copeland Jr. and Matty Rich.
Set in the 1930s, BIRTH OF THE BLACK UNDERWORLD takes viewers on a fascinating journey into the makings of the Black underworld and the evolving mindsets of a pack of young, would-be gangsters tied to the mafia. The group is led by Satterfield Jackson (Matty Rich), an orphan taken in by respected Italian mobster Marco Ricci (Frank Stallone), who has ties to both the Italian and Jewish mafias. Marco and Satterfield develop a father-son bond — and like any father would do — Ricci grooms Satterfield for the real world: The Underworld.
ABOUT MATTY RICH | writer, director, producer
Highly regarded as one of the pioneers of independent Black filmmaking, Matty Rich burst onto the Hollywood scene in 1991 as the 19-year-old writer, director, actor and producer of his award-winning film STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN. Rich was discovered by Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, PHILADELPHIA) during an editing session of the eventual Oscar-winning film, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Demme took Rich under his wing and STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN became a huge success after winning the Sundance Film Festival’s coveted Grand Jury Prize Award.
The indie film, distributed by Samuel Goldwin, earned critical acclaim and went on to sweep the awards season, picking up the Independent Spirit Award, NAACP Image Award, the Producers Guild Award and the Big Apple Award. Shortly thereafter, Rich was inducted into the Directors Guild of America (DGA) by African American Hollywood icons Sidney Poitier and Bill Duke.
Rich also directed the summer hit and now cult classic, THE INKWELL, which along with STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN, are considered “must see” classic, Black films. Rich’s other credits include development of several television projects, including RED HOOK as writer and creator for Warner Brothers/Fox Network; a Tupac Shakur bio project for HBO, and SUBWAY SCHOLAR with Whitney Houston for Showtime Network — just ,to name a few.
Currently, Rich is a screenwriting faculty member at the American Film Institute (AFI) where he teaches screenplay writing and video game writing as well as serving as a cycle development mentor and thesis film mentor. In addition, he also serves as a writing and directing advisor for Sundance Film Festival Co//AB online platform. He also teaches virtual screenplay workshops in Africa – that is, Ghana and Kenya, respectively.
ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival was founded in 1992 by Hollywood veterans and award-winning actor Danny Glover (THE COLOR PURPLE and the LETHAL WEAPON movie franchise); the late Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’Net DuBois (best known for her role as Willona in the TV series, “Good Times”); and executive director, Ayuko Babu, an international legal, cultural and political consultant who specializes in Pan African Affairs.
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is one of the longest-running and most respected cultural events dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements of the Black and African diaspora. Since its inception, PAFF has provided a dynamic platform for filmmakers, artists, and performers to share their stories, celebrate their heritage, and inspire audiences through powerful and thought-provoking works. For more information, visit www. PAFF.org
