Louis Bélanger

Born in Beauport, Quebec, Canada, Louis Bélanger collaborated frequently with Denis Chouinard as they began their respective careers. Bélanger's first feature film didn't shy away from controversy. A unique and sympathetic look at necrophilia, "Post Mortem" (1999) earned two Genie Awards, for Best New Director and Best Screenplay. His next film was the Lifetime movie "View of Terror" (Lifetime, 2003) starring Shannen Doherty as a woman victimized by a stalker. "Gaz Bar Blues" (2003) was a return to Belanger's quirky human tales. Set in French Canada during the German reunification, the film tells the story of a father who owns a gas station that he runs with his three sons, and the trials they go through to find their place in the changing world. Another Lifetime movie, "Lies and Deception" (Lifetime, 2005) starring Mädchen Amick, followed in 2005. Belanger continued with this unconventional path, making small French language films about characters at a crossroads, as with "The Timekeeper" (2006) about a young man working on the railroad, but also mixing in crime-thrillers with strong leading ladies, along the lines of "Dead Lines" (2010) starring Jeri Ryan. His film "Bad Seeds" (2016), about the trials of a marijuana farmer, premiered at the 2016 Santa Barbara Film Festival.