Guest Author - Lorna London

It's one of the most chilling films of the year, a story that will haunt your mind with endless questions and challenge you to explore the depths of your core. And what you might find, may be something you have worked your entire life to bury deep inside you.

Paul Solet, writer and director of Grace, the closing night feature at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, presents this remarkable film and story about a woman named Madeline who carries her stillborn child to term, only to discover her baby is actually alive when she gives birth. Alive and hungry…for human blood. Will Madeline make horrific sacrifices to keep her child alive?
What is the significance of this story? I caught up with Paul to find out more about the background of this film.

Q: Paul, Grace was a huge hit at the Sundance Film Festival, where viewers were left in complete awe of the content, so much that two of them fainted during the premiere. What does this profound effect do for you as the writer and director of the film?

A: I always knew I had an unsettling film for people to watch, but we really did not expect people to lose consciousness. I'm happy that everyone is okay. In the end, it proved to be a jumping off point as to what this movie is really about, and to discuss the reality that it is in fact subject matter that makes people have a hard time viewing something disturbing. All the people that have passed out have been men. I think men are basically uncomfortable with the birthing process and the more intimate effects of femininity.

Q: What inspired you to write this film?

A: On a personal level, my mom told me I had a twin that didn't make it. Since then, I've been exploring the medical science, that you could carry your stillborn to term. To me, that was very compelling and was representative of this phenomenal power between mother and child. This bond seemed like a good thing to pull into the horror genre and explore it deeply.

Q: Most of BellaOnline readers are women. Why would women be drawn to this film?

A: It's a story about women. I've always loved horror movies but have found that the horror genre typically alienates the female audience. Male filmmakers usually make the woman in a horror the victim or some weird masculine fantasy of a macho action hero, basically a man in a woman's body. I wanted to deviate from that and present someone real. I wanted to explore real relationships. My mom raised a feminist—she didn't care if he had a penis. That's the world I come from, a world of strong, independent women.
Everyone can find some sort of connection with this movie. If you're not a mother, you have a mother somewhere.

Q: During the writing process, did you experience any emotional or mental blocks that challenged you?

A: No, I think this is the stuff you need to draw as inspiration as a storyteller, you're always your first audience. If you're a genre writer, and you can disturb yourself with something, then you can definitely do that to others. I certainly saw myself affected by the subject matter. You can't just not have an intense reaction to this.

Q: What did you hope to accomplish after completing Grace?

A: I want to make you think. I'm not interested in conveying any sort of political message; my job is to create a world that is consistent and real enough that you can't escape from. Everything goes back to story, as the purpose is to provide entertainment for the audience. This is a very important thing for us as storytellers. In the end, I want you to leave the theatre with the movie singed in your brain, where you have to work through it with the rest of the audience…like a shared experience.
My goal is to prove that attention to story will result in a successful film, both commercially and artistically. Focus on creating great stories.


Anchor Bay Entertainment presents Paul Solet's Grace on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 15, 2009. Rue Morgue Magazine has said "Solet is undoubtedly destined to become a household name in the genre."

Check out the following links for more information on the Toronto After Dark Film Festival and to view Grace's trailer. For media enquiries regarding the film, visit the Amberlight Productions website, also included below.