Fresno, CA -- December 18, 2006 — Local business Ann Marie Production is creating a new feature film, Stars too High, starring business icons such as Dwayne Ferguson, (BlackXchange.net), Terance Frazier (Frazier Realty) and California Advocate's Derrick Nelson—now the film has bolstered up national attention…

Former Atlanta Falcons NFL football player Cory Hall has already filmed his cameo appearance for the movie; even Ms. Black Arkansas Katrina Steward made her appearance in a leading role that required vigorous training and expertise in dance.

The script content also attracted one of North Carolina's most talented and diverse music producers, Ron "Traxman" Carter, who just finished composing music for this year's Super Bowl.

Now in the process of creating the score and some of the soundtrack for the Stars too High film, Traxman also incorporated his "Jiberish" (AKA Gibberish) Rap Star Dre' Money, who uses Pig Latin & hip-hop rhythm to enlighten his listeners. Traxman—who has been compared to Quincy Jones, George Clinton and D' Angelo—also instills his own composed hip-hop jazz and melodic ballads to emotionalize key scenes.

"My drive is to look at every scene and synchronize it with every note of music I'm playing—that's the most important part of any movie is making sure the tracks fit what's happening, not because we want to fit artist in just because."

The Stars too High film subject matter has also fascinated national cable networks and is scheduled to be finished by March 2007, (production began Nov.19th.) In fact, local business owners throughout the Valley have come forward to help assist financially due to the overwhelming demand for the film's success: Cortney Griffin's Stickie Brand Clothing Company, Maria Spaulding's "Just Keepin It Real" Hair Salon, the California Arts Academy formerly known as Cynthia Merrill, Bryan Ortiz Photography, hair & make-up artist Hannah Espinoza & Rachel Contras, Al Ellis, New Life Discovery Schools Inc., BlackXchange.net and David Langley's Langley Recording Service all collaborated with Ann Marie Production to help get the film on its feet. The more the story was told about the purpose and content of the film Stars too High, the more local supporters and sponsors came forward to help finance this new feature film being produced in the Valley—(sponsors and supporters are still welcome to come aboard the Production.)

"I'm very grateful to the sponsors and supporters that have greeted us with open arms," said producer, director and writer Julia Najieb. "I was worried in the beginning wondering how I was going to pull this off; I've got a host of friends and colleagues who stepped forward and let me know everything was going to be okay—they are really helping us to put Fresno on the map."

Other supporters who have assisted with donations and services include: Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Fresno Chapter, The African-American Historical & Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley, 88.1 FM, KFCF's Valley Black Talk radio, Fresno High School, Wonda Correia's Signature Creations and FunkHop--Inc. Music.

Another heavy hitter who assisted with the production included director Teresa D. McKinney who began working with Dudley Najieb in 2000 as the director of Bench Memoirs at the Henry Street Theater in New York City; co-founder of an organization to promote advancement of African Americans in Arts Leadership, McKinney is currently the program manager for education at New York City Opera.

Although most films like to instill nationally known actors for audience draw, Najieb did not hesitate to ask local talents such as Dwayne Ferguson, (BlackXchange.net) and Jessica Watkins (Malcolm in the Middle, The Bernie Mac Show, Mad TV, and Mick Jagger's video "God Gave Me Everything.") to play the leading roles of Lavon and Sienna in Stars too High.

It would be no wonder for Najieb to also put together an all-star supporting cast from the Valley with talents such as Joshua Sims (Lyin up a Breeze, Slavery Civil War Re-enactments), Marie Sims and Nancy Whittle from the Slavery Civil War Re-enactments, and professional performer and Clovis dance instructor Jackie Clark

"Sometimes the key to success is right in front of you," explained Najieb. "I once thought you had to have the big-time actors to be big-time—actually it's just who has the best talent!" Najieb said.

Najieb has also incorporated top experienced professionals such as director of photography Tim Bragaw and dance choreographer Tara Boyd for the modern-African dance sequences in the film.

"Dance speaks just as loud as words," explained Dudley, "I wanted to make sure we were conveying the right message—and the right cinematography to make this film happen; I know we did that."

Stars too High explores the different interconnected issues within the Black community that affect their existence today: inherited land battles within families, the fight for reparations from slavery, inner-culture racism, and other insecurities affecting the Black community as a whole. What makes this movie unique is that it presents a solution…

"I think people are getting tired of the same old song—it's too depressing to see another black movie where we are presented as angry rebels or victims and that's it. I'd rather present to people the cause and effect relationship, and how to move to the next level," explained Najieb, who is also an English Instructor and an accomplished writer who has written and produced several plays, books, movies and pieces of poetry such as; research analysis "The Origins of Racial Epithets, plays Bench Memoirs, A Plane Life and A Black Woman's Cry for Peace, book Marcus Wesson: Mysterious Web of Deception, and movie Reparation Lost.

For Black History Month, on February 27th Najieb & Ferguson will present to Fresno City College students and the community on the historical references to slavery, reparations and discrimination issues in the film Stars too High from 10 AM to 2 PM. Then on March 16th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, the Fresno City College Theatre Arts Department is co-sponsoring a Stars too High multimedia presentation where the cast, crew & soundtrack artists will explore pertinent issues presented in the film through an excerpt from the movie, a theatrical & dance presentation, a live musical performance from the soundtrack, and a panel discussion. Najieb's goal is to give the Valley community strong impressions of what to expect in the film.

"We just want to enlighten people through education and entertainment, and let them know there are always choices we can all make and solutions, if we choose to acknowledge them," said Najieb. "We know people will learn and be entertained at the same time."

For interviews or sponsorship information, please call: 559-352-1444 or go to:
www.starstoohigh.com

Julia Dudley Najieb, (producer, writer, & director born and raised in San Jose, CA and now residing in Fresno, CA— is a writer, business owner, English teacher, track & field coach, mother and wife, who still finds time to serve the community in various organizations: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Committee, African-American Museum Board of Director and Kwanzaa Celebration co-coordinator, 88.1 FM Valley Black Talk radio show co-host, Southern Christian Leadership Conference media and public relations advisor and much more.

In regards to Dudley Najieb's professional educational and professional background, she received her bachelor's degree in journalism and minor in French from CSU, Fresno in 1995. Dudley Najieb has presented and written various pieces of poetry, fiction and non-fiction such as: "The Origins of Racial Epithets," an award winning research thesis presented at UC Berkeley, Claremont Graduate School and CSU, Fresno as a Mc Nair Scholar; "It's the Weekend Special," short story presented at CSU, Fresno short story seminar and "A Little Bit of Spice" romance guide presented in Los Angeles and New York educational seminars as a guest speaker. Her play, Bench Memoirs, along with the original 17-minute poetic piece A Black Woman's Cry for Peace, both premiered in New York City's Off-Broadway theatres in 2000. Bench Memoirs was also presented in a theatrical reading at CSU, Fresno in 2001. Dudley Najieb was also the producer and writer of the full-length play A Black Woman's Cry for Peace which went on a 10-city California tour and has recently been remodeled to a full length musical, poetic play, to tour internationally under the new name: A Woman's Cry for Peace.

Dudley Najieb was also the writer, co-director and producer of the short film, Reparation Lost, originally taken from a scene out of her two-hour screenplay, Stars too High. The short film was entered into several film festivals and also premiered for the public Feb. 20, 2004 at CSU, Fresno with a panel discussion on the controversy of slavery reparations that followed. The film also aired on a cable station, Comcast Channel 14 with distinguished panelists and live audience questions, hosted by Dr. Arthur Wint of CSU, Fresno. Again the topics were concerning the debate of reparations.

Dudley Najieb's most recent work include her first novel; Marcus Wesson: Mysterious Web of Deception, an in-depth look at a secluded Fresno family whose father figure was involved in the mass murder of his own children—the worst mass murder case known in Fresno, CA. Dudley Najieb was the first and only writer to use her investigative journalism skills to uncover and expose the deep psychological trauma and societal racism which added to the complexity of the mass murderer's behavior and to the secluded women's actions, compiling all of this information and personal interviews into a book for the public.