KUDOS TO...
Special thanks to the Marriot Courtyard Hotel for their generosity to our team while working on the Operation Gratitude PSA.

JOWHARAH FILMS was founded in January 2003 by Romell Foster-Owens, president of Romell Foster-Owens Productions and Azhar Al-Uqdah, president of Just Add Water Productions. In July 2006 Ms. Foster-Owens became the sole owner of Jowharah Films, which became a subsidiary of Romell Foster-Owens Productions Inc in December 2006. The name Jowharah means jewel.

• Awards and Distinctions
• Mission and Plan
• About Romell Foster-Owens
• Award-Winning PSA for GangFree

Ms. Foster-Owens is a graduate of the prestigious, American Film Institute with a degree in directing. Since her graduation from AFI more than 15 years ago she has produced numerous television and independent feature film projects through her respective production companies.

Romell Foster-Owens - Writer/Producer/Director
City Ballet of Los Angeles

GANGFREE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT The gangfree.org Public Service Announcement was the first ever for the Gang Alternatives Program (GAP). Director Karen Lavender and Producer Romell Foster-Owens produced the PSA for GAP on behalf of Women In Film Los Angeles.

The PSA depicts a a teenage schoolgirl who is faced with the choice between individuality within a positive lifestyle as opposed to the pressure of being pulled into a gang lifestyle. The compelling PSA was produced to inform the public about the Gang Alternatives Programs and services by leading the audience to GAP's Web site.

Renowned music producer Terence Dudley (50 Cent, Mary J. Blige), musical legend AL B. Sure! and rap artist/actress Paige Hurd (Everybody Hates Chris), teamed up to to create a dynamic original soundtrack for the project.

AWARDS

• Platinum AURORA Award - Best In Show - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2008
• Bronze ADDY Award - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2008
• Women In Film - Spotlight Award - 2009
• Congressional Commendation - US Congress - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2009
• Commendation - City of Los Angeles - Producer - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2009
• Commendation - City of Los Angeles - Women In Film - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2008

PSA PRODUCTION
Executive Producer – Varda Hardy
Producer – Romell Foster-Owens
Director – Karen Lavender
Associate Producer/ Writer - Sheila Hardy
Associate Producer – Patricia Johnson
Director Of Photography – Gary Ravenscroft
Starring - Elizabeth Blanco, Joey Gaytan and featuring Oscar Ramirez and Renee Madrid
Original Music - Terence Dudley, Al B. Sure! and Paige Hurd
Women In Film

GangFree Public Service Announcement

Romell Foster-Owens, Recipient of Mitch Maricich Award
Douglas L. Semark, Executive Director Gang Alternatives Program
Karen Lavender, Recipient of Mitch Maricich Award

The City of Los Angeles Commendation at the 2008 Gang Alternatives Program Dinner
Doug Semark, Executive Director, Gang Alternatives Program, Romell Foster-Owens Producer GAP PSA, Bonnie Spence Chair, Women In Film PSA Program,
Karen Lavender Director GAP PSA

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS Over the years Ms. Foster-Owens has won numerous awards of distinction including:

• an EMMY for Outstanding Children’s Series for the television series Teen Scene
• an NAACP Image Award for the feature film The Three Muscatels
• the Black American Cinema Society Award for Outstanding Contributions to the film industry
• a Humanitarian Award from the National Council of Christians and Jews for the television special, A Rites of Passage: An African American Female Experience
• Platinum AURORA Award - Best In Show - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2008
• Bronze ADDY Award - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2008
• Women In Film - Spotlight Award - 2009
• Congressional Commendation - US Congress - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2009
• Commendation - City of Los Angeles - Producer - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2009
• Commendation - City of Los Angeles - Women In Film - Gang Alternatives Program PSA - 2008

In addition, Ms. Foster-Owens has the distinction of twice winning the Black Filmmakers, Hall Of Fame Award for Best Independent Film for Tendrils, which she served as Executive Producer and for More Than A Game, which Ms. Foster-Owens co-wrote, produced and directed.

Romell Foster-Owens - Writer/Producer/Director
City Ballet of Los Angeles

Perris McCracken - Prima Ballerina
City Ballet of Los Angeles

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Jowharah Films is to produce original television and feature film projects that will feature compelling stories. The company will focus on projects written and directed by filmmakers of color and African American descent. Stories written by and about women of color will be a company priority.

THE PLAN The Jowharah Films plan is to become a global film company recognized for their box office successes and award winning films throughout the world as a result of releasing three to five feature films a year.