Yor-El Francis
Yor-El Francis is a Liberian–American filmmaker and film producer. He is most notable as the director of critically acclaimed award-winning film, Murder in the Cassava Patch.
Personal life
He was born in Monrovia, Liberia to a prominent Liberian family; the Martins of Grand Bassa County and the Francis from Marshall. He first attended the Hilton Van Ee School and then American Cooperative School for primary education. Later he attended the Sierra Leone Grammar School in Freetown, Sierra Leone to complete his secondary education. His father owned companies in Ghana, Haiti, Liberia, Sierra Leone, California and Miami and meanwhile, his mother owned a boutique in Monrovia.Career
After secondary education, he moved to USA with his family and settled in New York City. Then he attended to Hunter College, a liberal arts school on Manhattan's Upper East and studied film and interned at MTV Networks. Later, he obtained a Master of Arts in Film Directing from the City University of New York. In 2003, he was included into the two-year Directors Guild of America's Producer Training Plan.First he joined as an intern at MTV Networks, then moved to BET, before landing a job at FOX. He started film career as an Assistant Director on motion pictures, television and commercials. He was the second assistant director for many television series and films, including The West Wing, NCIS, The Closer, Crank, Brothers & Sisters, and Zeke and Luther. In 2005, he won the African Film Commission's top prize for screen-writing for his screenplay Piankhi, the Prince of Egypt.
In 2012, he made his maiden feature film, Murder in the Cassava Patch, which is based on his native Liberia. During his visit to Liberia for the film, he met Peter Ballah, with whom he started to produce the film. Later in the film, his entire cast became the children of Ballah.
Filmography
Never Too Late 2020The House Next Door 2016 New Day, Same Time 2020 American Soul 2019 Dolly Parton's Heartstrings The Best of Enemies 2017-2018The Quad All Eyez on Me 2016Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love 2016Barbershop: The Next Cut 2015Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors 2013-2015Love Thy Neighbor If Loving You Is Wrong 2015Hindsight 2014David Blaine: Real or Magic 2013Constantine 2011-2012Murder in the Cassava Patch 2012Zeke and Luther 2011Porn for Dinner Brothers & Sisters My Name Is Earl 2006Dreamgirls 2006Crank 2005Close to Home 2005Night Stalker 2005The Dukes of Hazzard 2005Numb3rs 2004Century City 2003Cold Case 2003Joan of Arcadia 2003NCIS 19967th Heaven 1995- ''JAG''