Enjoy an evening of music, conversation and inspiration, as we present our Humanitarian Award to Dr. Elvis Francois during his special appearance and performance at the Sedona International Film Festival!
Doctor Elvis Francois “Dr. Elvis” is an Orthopedic spine surgeon practicing in Atlanta, GA. Having completed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery at Mayo Clinic, he went on to complete his Spine Surgery fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess, Harvard Medical School.
Beyond his practice as an orthopedic surgeon, he has a unique passion for sharing his voice via uplifting music both in and outside of the hospital. Clinically, he has published many peer-reviewed scientific publications and lectured at national and international conferences on a variety of medical topics.
In 2018, he gained national attention for an impromptu rendition of “Alright” performed after a trauma call shift, and again after a cover of “IMAGINE” promoting hope during Covid-19.
Since that time, Dr. Elvis has been featured on The Ellen Show, Forbes, Rolling Stone, Good Morning America, Today and The View, among countless other mainstream media appearances. Dr. Elvis also starred on the Smash Fox TV Show, The Masked Singer, and was praised repeatedly by another doctor, Dr. Ken Jeong.
He was also named to People Magazine’s sexiest men alive 2020. Furthermore, Dr. Elvis has performed live at the Indianapolis 500, Monday Night Football, The Presidential Inauguration and more. His music covers have amassed well over 10 million views on Facebook and Instagram, and in 2020 he produced an album of song covers that peaked at No. 2 on the iTunes charts and was in the Top 20 on the Billboard charts.
In another example of the size of his heart, 100% of the proceeds from his album were donated directly to a COVID-19 relief charity.
A meet-and-greet dessert reception with Dr. Elvis will take place in the lobby of the Sedona Performing Arts Center, catered by Lisa Dahl and the Dahl Restaurant Group.
A note from Dr. Elvis Francois:
Dear Film Festival Attendees:
I look forward to my upcoming appearance at the Sedona Film Festival. The past few years have been trying for everyone to say the least. I am excited to bring my music and positive energy to this event in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I know the word “synchronicity” is often applied to circumstances in Sedona. One of my managers has been a Sedona resident for over five years and developed a close friendship with festival director Patrick Schweiss. This relationship resulted in my decision to take part in the festival.
Between being an Orthopedic surgeon and a recording artist, I have a very busy schedule. My life’s mission is to always spread a message of hope, positivity and inclusiveness. I understand these are three of the foundational building blocks for the festival. Coming from a working-class family of Haitian decent, I also learned the importance of hard work. My role-model is my father, who is a taxi driver in New York. As a doctor, I apply the above principles daily when facing the numerous challenges presented by the pandemic. My main objective is to MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
Can’t wait to see and meet everyone in person at the festival! I will be performing my new song titled “Broken Pieces” at the Sedona Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 19th at 7pm. Hope to see you there!
— Dr. Elvis