HISTORY OF ELMCREST FILMS
Elmcrest Films, LLC is a film production company that specializes in Humanities based storytelling by uncovering and bringing to life compelling stories about lesser-known New England individuals, places and events using the medium of professionally produced documentaries. Elmcrest Films. LLC is the product of decades of movie watching, a love of history, a macabre fascination with cemeteries and with the timeless question that comes with them: Who was that person?
BIOGRAPHY
Francis J. “Fran” Leazes, Jr established Elmcrest Films, LLC in 2016 to be a documentary film production company that specializes in Humanities based storytelling focused on bringing to life compelling stories about lesser-known New England individuals, places and events. In 2010 he created the Providence North Burial Ground Project which produced on-line walking tours of that historic cemetery. Elmcrest Films has since produced a dozen short documentary dramatizations based on North Burial Ground residents as well as a documentary about the cemetery itself.
A life-long resident of New England Fran uses his knowledge of the region to bring back to life individuals whose untold stories are compelling. He made his filmmaker debut in 2017 with “A Road to the Alamo: The Albert Martin Story” which has been broadcast several times on Rhode Island PBS station WSBE-36. The Elmcrest Films, LLC production of The Price of Admission: A Story About Black Baseball in Rhode Island premiered at the Black Storytellers 2024 FundFest and was an Official Selection of the Rhode Island Black International Film Festival in 2024.
The company is currently focused on creating a series of North Burial Ground Storybooks and film projects related to events in 19th century Rhode Island, Vermont and Massachusetts.
Fran is a graduate of Holy Cross College and holds advanced degrees in History, Public Administration and Political Science. He was named Professor Emeritus at Rhode Island College in 2022 as a successful, award-winning Professor for 38 years. He has a long publication record in the field of Public Administration and most recently has authored articles published in history journals.
Facebook Page, Instagram Email address: Francis Leazes <[email protected]