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Ocean Pines resident Anna Foultz’s book, released last year, is being adapted into a feature film by a Texas-based media company.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Oct. 4, 2018) Local icon Anna Foultz is about to be in pictures.

A Texas-based media company has acquired the film rights to Foultz’ memoir “Two Steps Forward” and hopes to begin production next year ahead of an international release near the end of 2019.

According to an official description of the 2017 memoir, “Spanning over a century, Anna’s book, ‘Two Steps Forward, A Memoir,’ recounts the inspiring story of this vivacious, loved and lauded spicy bombshell. Travel from 19th century Naples, Italy to 21st century America, where the daughter of an Italian immigrant peasant is honored by the Order of the Sons of Italy for her extraordinary contributions.”

Sonny Chohan, owner and founder of the Houston Live TV Network and Houston Live Productions, said he met Foultz and her daughter at a gathering in Meadows, Texas and was impressed by their story. Foultz was in town for a book signing and her daughter, Shirley Isbell, authored the book and lives in the area.

“In the audience was a director who does TV and pictures and stuff like that. And he was standing up and he was looking at me and looking at me while I’m talking. I was nervous, of course,” Foultz said. “So, when it was over, he came over to me and he said, ‘I’m so impressed with your story, I would love to do a movie and put you on TV.’ I said, ‘Oh, OK,’ thinking he was only kidding.”

The initial meeting led to half-hour interview on the TV network that’s available on YouTube as “Two Steps Forward – Memoir of Anna Lucarello Foultz on HLTV.”

There was also an agreement to adapt the memoir into a feature film.

“We get involved in short films and feature films, TV shows and documentaries, and the story was so appealing that I think in the midst of the conversation they both commented that … they would be happy to give us the movie rights as well. So, of course I jumped on it and said absolutely. It’s a great story to showcase,” Chohan said.

Foultz recalls talking to Chohan about the film rights after the interview aired. She remained in a state of disbelief and said she’s yet to watch the interview, because she doesn’t own a computer.

“He calls me up and he says, ‘You know, I want to do the movie.’ And I said, ‘Oh, yeah, sure.’ I thought he was kidding me,” she said. “But then, afterwards, I get another call saying that he really wants to do a movie, do I have his permission? And I said, ‘Of course!’

“I don’t believe it still, but my daughter is working with him,” Foultz continued. “I said, ‘I don’t want to get involved. If it’s really true, you let me know.’”

According to Chohan, the film version will mostly follow the narrative in the book.

“We are going to be adding some additional spices on top of it,” he said. “It’s in a very preliminary stage right now, but I think the book is going to contribute the majority of that content. Each scene needs to be written and we need to insert some drama into it, but primarily it’s going to be based on her personal experiences.”

The finished product will then make its debut on HoustonLiveTV.com and be available for streaming on multiple platforms.

“We are not at the same grade level as Netflix or Hulu or Amazon, but we do work along the same technologies,” Chohan said. “We are focused more on the seven million people here in Houston, but our coverage is worldwide. We integrate our services and our production, and broadcast through all the social media platforms, but also Roku and Amazon Fire Stick and Apple TV, and on Android and Apple smart phones. So, anybody worldwide will be able to access this content.

“I’m planning for a 2019 release,” he continued. “We’re going to start working on this a little bit more deeply in the first quarter of 2019. We have an amazing team here in terms of production, so mostly likely I’m thinking we should be able to release it by the end of 2019.”

Foultz continues to make public appearances on behalf of the book and also works on behalf of her nonprofit, Star Charities, and with the Girl Scouts of America. She is reportedly the oldest-living active member of the Girl Scouts.

She said reception for the memoir has been positive and sales, especially in Texas, went up after the television interview aired.

“A lot people bought my books here, and in fact the library called me one day and said they’ve gotten a lot of calls for my book,” Foultz said. “Every now and then I get a call for a book, but I would like to sell more.

“So far, we’re doing good – better than I ever expected,” she continued. “But I’d like to do more and get rid of these books I have at home.”

To purchase “Two Steps Forward,” visit www.twostepsforwardmemoir.com. For more information or to contact Foultz, call 410-641-7667.