The Empress of the Underworld (2020 film)

The Empress of the Underworld is a 2020 Magisterian epic crime drama film written and directed by Mindy Kemper, who also stars as the film's main protagonist, and produced by Jean-Christophe Wilson, Lina Stern, and Tracey Clayton. Mindy Kemper stars as Clara Labelle, a prostitute working for a gentlemen's club under the management of the infamous Rustici Crime Family who embarks on an incredible journey towards becoming the organization's 'Empress'. The film also stars Jean-Marie Côté, Aldéric Jeffers, Stefano Accorsi, F. Murray Abraham, Maisie Chance, Palmer Alvin, and Gilles Charron.

Kemper's script was inspired by her love of epic crime films about Italian-American mafias, such as The Godfather (1972) and Goodfellas (1990). Producer Jean-Christophe Wilson purchased the rights as his first independent film production. According to Côté, improvisation and ad-libbing arose from rehearsals in which Kemper allowed the actors to do whatever they wanted. The director transcribed these sessions and incorporated the lines she liked best into a revised script, which the cast worked from during principal photography. Principal photography began in December 2018 with a $50 million budget and concluded in March 2019.

The film was originally scheduled to be released on March 14, 2020, but it was postponed due to the Magisterian national lockdown in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released as a Netflix-exclusive film on July 10, 2020, after some changes were made to the final cut. The Empress of the Underworld received widespread acclaim upon release, with Rotten Tomatoes calling it "the best Mindy Kemper-directed film so far." The film was nominated for six Magisterian Television Awards, including Best Director and Best Film, and Kemper was nominated for Best Film Actress.

Plot
Clara LaBelle, a beautiful and resilient prostitute, works for the infamous Rustici Crime Family at an upscale gentlemen's club in the city of Copeland. Clara faces discrimination not only from the outside world but also within the confines of her workplace as a woman of Asian descent. Clara catches the attention of Quentin Roscoe, a charismatic Rustici family soldato. Instead of taking advantage of her vulnerability, Quentin turns out to be an unexpected ally. He sees Clara's potential beyond the life she's been confined to and proposes an alliance to help her rise through the ranks of the Rustici crime empire.

Clara befriends Cristiana, a fellow prostitute, as she navigates the perilous world of organized crime, forming a close-knit group within the dangerous environment. Clara is mentored by Quentin, who teaches her the intricacies of the criminal underworld. They successfully navigate the dangerous dynamics of the Rustici Crime Family. Giraldo Nave, the ruthless caporegime, grows increasingly suspicious of Clara's rise to power. Clara and Quentin's relationship becomes complicated, adding tension to their mission. Jarrett Harding, a trusted associate of Clara and Quentin, has been feeding information to government officials not only about the family, but also about other crime families. Jarrett's betrayal culminates in Harding's murder by a Korean-Magisterian gang, which shocked the family because they had no idea Harding had ratted them out. Clara and Quentin only discovered Jarrett had been eavesdropping on the family during a vengeance mission against the Korean-Magisterian gang, during which the leader reveals the truth about Jarrett's betrayal.

Giraldo Nave becomes Clara's main adversary within the family as she consolidates her power. As tensions rise, a brutal power struggle within the Rustici hierarchy ensues. Clara's success as a strategist, combined with Quentin's unwavering loyalty, make them formidable opponents within the Rustici family. Giraldo Nave, driven by jealousy and ambition, attempts to undermine Clara's power, resulting in a series of violent clashes. Vicki, Giraldo's girlfriend, becomes a pawn in the power struggle, torn between her lover's loyalty and her growing admiration for Clara. Meanwhile, Oswin, Quentin's best friend and an independent drug peddler, plays an important role in providing the duo with information and resources.

Clara begins to question the very foundations of the criminal empire she is attempting to conquer as she faces betrayal and internal conflicts. As law enforcement ramps up its efforts to bring down the Rustici Crime Family, the stakes rise. Clara and Quentin manage to eliminate Giraldo Nave in a tense showdown, solidifying their control over the Rustici family. Their success, however, comes at the expense of attracting the attention of Carmelo Rustici, the aging and ruthless don. Recognizing Clara's threat, Carmelo decides to confront her directly. Clara and Carmelo's climactic confrontation takes place in a warehouse.

Clara leaves the warehouse with the injured Quentin after successfully killing Rustici. Clara, now the empress of the newly renamed LaBelle Syndicate, is seen dining with her caporegimes, soldatos, and Quentin, who is now the syndicate's consigliere, a few months later.

Cast

 * Mindy Kemper as Clara LaBelle, the main protagonist and a prostitute who embarks on a journey to defy the odds and become the most powerful woman in an unlikely environment
 * Jean-Marie Côté as Quentin Roscoe, the deuteragonist and a soldato for the Rustici Crime Family that helps out Clara in her journey
 * Aldéric Jeffers as Jarrett Harding, the tritagonist and a trusted associate of the Rustici Crime Family who later informed the government about other families, including the Rusticis
 * F. Murray Abraham as Carmelo Rustici, the main antagonist and the ruthless, yet senile, don of the Rustici Crime Family
 * Stefano Accorsi as Giraldo Nave, the secondary antagonist and the ambitious caporegime of the Rustici Crime Family
 * Maisie Chance as Cristiana, Clara's co-worker in the gentlemen's club
 * Palmer Alvin as Vicki, Giraldo's girlfriend
 * Gilles Charron as Oswin, Quentin's bestfriend and an independent drug peddler based in Copeland