I learned about this indie film from my hairdresser and owner of Taylor’s Salon. One of his clients is the mother of the producer. As he was cutting my hair, he contacted Mama, who then got in touch with producer/actress Suzann Toni Petrongolo. I love independent films and was excited to interview Suzann Toni Petrongolo about The Dirty South.
The Dirty South
The Dirty South refers to the southern part of the country. It’s the territory of Texas and all the states on the way to Florida. The term is more of an identity of the southern landscape, as well as the culture and beliefs of the area.
The Dirty South was written by first-time writer and director Matthew Yerby. It was inspired by his upbringing in Louisiana. The film is a crime thriller produced by Suzann Toni Petrongolo, and it stars Willa Holland, Shane West, Dermot Mulroney, Wayne Pere, Andrew Vogel, Suzann Toni Petrongolo, and Gissette Valentin.
Sue Parker (Willa Holland) runs a small bar in a little town. Her dad, Gary (Wayne Pere), is a deadbeat who does drugs and ignores his responsibilities as a provider and a father. Sue’s mom took off years ago, leaving Sue to raise her little brother.
Growing up in a northern city, it is hard to imagine a town in our own country with a caste system, but in the South, when you are dirt poor…the tongues wag even if the stories told are not true. Sue tries to keep her father’s bar from being auctioned off to the wealthiest man in town, Jeb Roy (Dermot Mulroney). There is a lot of bad history between Gary and Jeb, but also Sue and Jeb’s son, Mark (Andrew Vogel), were once high school sweethearts. The situation is bad, and Sue and her little brother might wind up homeless until a stranger, Dion (Shane West), shows up in the bar. The action and tension begin as Dion’s offer to raise money for the bar leads Sue into a life of crime.
I really enjoyed The Dirty South and was happy to talk to the producer, Suzann Toni Petrongolo.
Gilbert: Suzann, what was the spark that got you interested in producing and starring in films?
Suzann Toni Petrongolo: I’ve loved acting from a young age and began delving into it when I was growing up in South Jersey, whether it was local theatre, student films, or short films. I then studied film, television, and theatre during my undergrad studies at the University of Notre Dame and moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduation to pursue a career in the film industry. I quickly learned that acting and producing go hand in hand, and having agency over the projects you work on is extremely rewarding and exciting. I met my partner, Andrew Vogel, and we began developing projects and have been working together ever since. The Dirty South was the first film we produced under our company VP Independent.
Gilbert: Coming from New Jersey, was it harder to understand how poor people survived in the “dirty South?”
Suzann Toni Petrongolo: The film’s writer/director, Matthew Yerby, was from the town we shot in, Natchitoches, Louisiana, and most of our crew was also from Louisiana. So being able to work closely with people who know the area, its rich culture and history, was wonderful, especially during the development phase of the story. I was an outlier being from New Jersey on set, but it was such an incredible experience being able to work alongside our cast and crew in creating this film and learning as much as I could about ‘the dirty South’ to tell this story in the most authentic way possible.
Gilbert: You also had an acting part in the film. What other films have you acted in? Which do you enjoy the most, the acting or producing?
Suzann Toni Petrongolo: It was amazing to have acted in the film as “Donna,” Sue Parker (played by Willa Holland)’s best friend. I’ve acted in several short films and commercials, but this was my first feature film as an actress, which I couldn’t be more grateful for. I had been working on it as a producer for nearly 4 years when we made it, so it was really fun to switch gears on the days I was acting. They were completely different jobs, but I enjoyed both of them very much, especially being able to work with the incredible talent in film- Willa Holland, Shane West, Dermot Mulroney, and more. Being able to be a part of the cast and then helping shepherd the project creatively and into its distribution was such a wonderful, full-circle experience.
Gilbert: What are you working on now? Will you be doing any other films with Matthew Yerby?
Suzann Toni Petrongolo: I just completed post-production on our new psychological horror film called The Hermit, which we’re very excited about! We are also in post-production for another feature filmed over the summer, a comedy/thriller Dead Giveaway, which was actually filmed in South Jersey. It was such a special experience to be able to work near my hometown. Both projects were labours of love, made with incredible creatives, and I’m very excited about what’s to come!
And I sure hope so! Matthew Yerby is such an incredible writer and director, and it was amazing to make The Dirty South with him. I can’t wait to see what he writes next!
