EXPERIENCE JOY THROUGH FILM
We at MarvaJoy Productions create unforgettable stories. We firmly believe in the potential of creating high-quality films through independent production, even with minimized budgets. This approach not only ensures a greater and earlier return on investment but also offers enhanced profit participation for our investors.
Sardia Robinson - Founder/Actress/writer/producer
Sardia is a true Jamaican with multiple jobs. She’s a comedian, writer, pro-
ducer, director and humanitarian. Born and raised in Jamaica, Sardia gradu-
ated from Columbia College, Chicago, where she earned a BA in theater. She
interned at the legendary Goodman Theatre alongside Chuck Smith and Au-
gust Wilson as assistant director. She wasted no time in moving to Hollywood and dominating comedy and theater stages. Sardia was selected to perform her infectiously hilarious standup comedy act to open for the R&B group “The Whispers” at the Microsoft Theatre, earning praise as “Someone to definitely watch." She wrote and stars in her award-winning, one-woman show FROM A YARDIE TO A YANKEE, the gripping, gut-wrenching true story of her courageous life journey from the murderous streets of Kingston, Jamaica, to the deadly consequences of Chicago’s drug wars.
Cliff Foerster - C0-Founder/Writer/Producer
Cliff Foerster is currently Director of Field Operations at MNX, a leading global logistics provider. Previous to MNX, Cliff owned his own logistics company which he built up over a 20-year timespan with warehouses up and down California. Always striving to stay creative both in business and in life, Cliff has invested time and energy in a variety of endeavors over the years, including a Flower Shop in Santa Monica, a child’s entertainment business, a critical thinking program for education, and several writing projects. Cliff believes “work hard and you can achieve anything.”
Colleen Keane - Executive Producer
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Colleen escaped to Southern California to pursue her dreams of working in the film industry. She now has more than 25 years (and counting) of experience in studios and productions companies. Her wide variety of experience includes two years at Imagine Films, 12 years at New Regency Productions and more than four years at Regent Entertainment. This varied experience has given her the ability to work a film from development through distribution and into peripheral release. The more than 100 films Colleen has worked on include, “Parenthood,” “Backdraft,” “Heat,” the “Free Willy” series, “Time to Kill,” “Fight Club,” “Empire Records,” “Mr & Mrs Smith,” “Natural Born Killers,” “Man on Fire,” and Oscar Best Picture nominee “L.A. Confidential”. As an award-winning independent producer, Colleen has completed a variety of films including a dramatic short, “Obstruction,” written and directed by Paul Marius and starring Ulrich Thomsen; a documentary, “Just the Right Amount of Violence,” (Best Documentary Nominee in the 2014 European Film Awards) by director Jon Bang Carlsen and Danish producer, the Oscar nominated Helle Ulsteen; a short sci fi by Swiss filmmaker Robert Kouba, “The Rift”; a dramatic short entitled “Our Father” by writer/director Linda Palmer which screened at 23 film festivals including 2015 Cannes and has won approximately 40 awards (including the prestigious Mary Austen Award for Excellence in Producing); “Devil Dogs” a dramatic short written and produced by Laura Cross; a feature film entitled “Last Call at Murray’s” with director Linda Palmer distributed by Freelance Films in the US and repped by WonderPhil for international sales; a short “Living Hell” written and directed by Eileen Grubba; and short film, “Take My Hand” starring legendary Barbara Bain, written by Eileen Grubba and directed by Alan J. Levi. “Crypto Shadows”, written and directed by James Fox, was released in January 2024 by Vison Entertainment. In 2018, Colleen joined forces with colleagues to create Moving On Films. They currently have eight (8) feature films and several television series in development.
Betty Kaplan - Director
An internationally acclaimed Venezuelan American Director--with an eye for talent and bringing unique stories to screen. Her first film OF LOVE AND SHADOWS was based on Isabel Allendes' best selling novel and starred Antonio Banderas and Jennifer Connelly, in one of her first grown up roles. It was released by Miramax Films and Disney. Shown all over the world, the film received both critical acclaim and audience approval. Her second film, DONA BARBARA is based on Venezuela's "Gone With The Wind". This Latin American classic was released by Universal and inaugurated at Eddie Olmos' Premiere Latino International Film Festival to a sold out audience. It also introduced UNIVISION'S new Premiere movie series to an all time "high rating." Kaplan's third film "ALMOST A WOMAN" based on Esmeralda Santiago's book won the PEABODY AWARD for "a powerful evocative new rendering of one of the most important American stories." It was the first Latino-themed movie in forty years for Exxon Mobil Masterpiece Theatre. She just finished a film SIMONÉ starring Esai Morales and has just written a Puerto Rican procedural series entitled "Against The Tide" also starring Esai Morales. Before moving to the U.S. Betty directed the highest rated mini-series in the history of Venezuelan Television which was the story of Simon Bolivar.
JD Mendenhall - Producer/Marketing
JD Mendenhall is a writer, producer, content creator, and marketing and publicity consultant. He is the founder, owner, and principal of his company, Bigfoot Communication, begun in 1998. JD graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Business Administration and an MBA with a marketing emphasis. He has spent his career helping organizations and individuals create and share their stories. He has fostered success for clients in business, entertainment, higher education, and nonprofits. Elements of his professional background include positions as director of retail operations, finance director, administrator, and three marketing director gigs. An award-winning writer, JD brings stories to life as a published writer, freelancer, humorist, and newspaper columnist with over 25 years of professional writing experience.