Just over three years ago, director Raymond Saint-Jean and producer Michel Ouellette of Montreal-based Cine Qua Non Films heard about a series of one-hour documentaries on French writers being commissioned out of France.

As a teenager, Saint-Jean had been captivated by the works of French writer H.P. Lovecraft, whom he describes as ‘the father of the horror novel as we know it,’ and the two sent off a proposal.

When nothing came of the pitch, Ouellette and Saint-Jean decided to continue to develop the project here in Canada and found an interested broadcaster in Bravo!.

Saint-Jean began writing the hour-long script as a biography, poring over the thousands of letters Lovecraft had left behind. But as he wrote numerous versions, Saint-Jean realized the best way to bring the novelist’s life and works to the screen was as a fictional drama.

‘I built the story as a collage which illustrates his character and incorporates all his work,’ explains Saint-Jean of the script for Out of Mind: The Stories of H.P. Lovecraft, which is up for two Geminis, including a best writing nod for Saint-Jean.

Lovecraft’s novels were all set in New England-type locales, but he mixed bits of different cities to create his own imaginary environments. In keeping with this, Saint-Jean decided to shoot in downtown Montreal, but used locations that would leave the audience guessing as to where the story was unfolding.

Although Saint-Jean has been directing for the past 15 years, working on numerous music videos, short films, documentaries, and fiction projects, Lovecraft is the first dramatic script he has written to make it to the screen.

Saint-Jean also partnered with Cine Qua Non on The Magic Violin, which is nominated for four Gemeaux this year.

Cheryl Binning