Saint in the Shadow of Bluebeard is a fictional retelling of a series of true events which took place in France in the early 1400’s. The story of a real-life boogeyman.

Hot on his trail, the unlikeliest of sorts. A disillusioned, alcoholic, and sexually traumatized friar (George) cast out by his order and destined to wander the streets of Nantes in obscurity.

Aided by an Italian priest of a fledgling chapel (Bennitorio) and a beautiful but mentally scarred sister of Machecoul (Margaux), George attempts to regain his courage and self-worth, while uncovering one of the most prolific and heinous serial killers to ever scour the history books.

This story is as much about the demon in Bluebeard as it is about the bittersweet demon living inside the bottle.

Alcoholism and substance abuse is more prevalent today than ever. And for millions of people like George, they are not only shunned by the community, but offered virtually no support.

This comes from my personal experience with my father, and George was partly written with him in mind.

My goal for this script was to explore adult themes such as self-loathing, sexual abuse, infanticide, alcoholism, and religious disillusionment without delving into the realm of gratuity. I believe serial killers in media are glorified to the point of being canonized. George is the focus, and Bluebeard is the catalyst.

Yikes. How does one break the ice coming from that intro? Well for starters, my name is Frank Baruch and I’m a freelance screenwriter living and working in San Diego.

This is officially my first award at Beverly Hills Film Fest and my second official selection since attending in 2016. This award is a tremendous honor and BHFF is the most well organized and prestigious film fest I’ve attended.

I’m an incredibly versatile and hands on writer, having tackled 8 scripts in genres such as historical fiction, horror, murder mystery, romance, dark comedy, action/adventure and sci-fi. I prefer to write outside of my comfort zone, usually about different cultures which pique my interest.

So far, I have written about a clan of samurai in feudal Japan, labor camp prisoners in soviet era Russia, a serial killer in 15^th century France, a downtrodden American writer in Vietnam and a host of characters who run the gamut from the overtly charismatic to the downright malevolent.

My goals for this industry, other than seeking representation, is to have the opportunity to see my vision on the screen and present a positive image of hope to an audience who may need a dose of reality at this time.

Ordinary characters, not unlike you and I, who go through extraordinary circumstances. I want to be able to speak through my writing and make a difference to the people I care for; the helpless, the innocent, the misunderstood and the forgotten.

A note from Frank Baruch