“I'm coming with you.”

“You don't have to. This is between me and him.”

The Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library was the first location of the French production, “Return to Cabot Cove,” Sept. 26. Joanna Breen and Chris Gleason are on the steps of the library running lines, writer and director Christophe Herreros is conferring with Alejandro Meija, director of photography and Makoto Matsuo, gaffer, of New York City, about the first of six scenes in Herreros' “Return to Cabot Cove” about to be filmed.

“Return to Cabot Cove” is Herreros' homage to the long-running U.S. TV show “Murder She Wrote,” which was as popular with French audiences as it was here. Herreros chose Boothbay Harbor as the location because of its similarities to the fictional Maine town in which Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury, was supposed to be. In addition to the library, the six scenes are being shot at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor, the Blue Heron Seaside Inn, the Boothbay Common, on rocks at Ocean Point, and at a privately owned boathouse on the east side of the harbor.

Herreros' style involves shooting a series of short films with running times of one or two minutes to four to six minutes. There are six scenes in “Return to Cabot Cove,” each one an excerpt from six episodes of “Murder She Wrote,” each one a complete film in itself.

Charlotte DuFranc, assistant to the director, explained, “All of the films are played together and are meant to be exhibited in art spaces. In the six short scenes there will be hidden clues in every plot so the viewer can walk around the installation space, see all the scenes, find his own clues about the murders, and make up his own story.

“Not everyone will have the same reading, it will depend on when you get in the installation space as the films are looping. The idea is everyone creates their own fiction film based on their experience.”

The narration/story is also told through cinematic language — how a shot is framed, camera angles, zooming, focus. “We all speak this language without knowing it,” DuFranc said. “This is another language Christophe is meant to speak.”

Parisian viewers of “Return to Cabot Cove” will not recognize the actors in this film (well probably not, but it is a small world). Herreros prefers to work with non-professional actors in real locations, not on sets.

A call for actors went out in the Boothbay region in late August in the Boothbay Register. Cosima Sales, first assistant director to Herreros, said 15 people responded to that call. Auditions were held Sept. 20 at the house Herreros, Sales, DuFranc and Jim Schachmes (production manager and first assistant cameraman) have been renting in Boothbay since the weekend of Sept. 10. Many of the 15 brought friends with them. Charlotte said about 25 residents showed up seeking a part in the films. Everyone who came was cast as a character role or an extra.

In addition to Breen and Gleason at press time on Tuesday, the “Return to Cabot Cove” cast included Katie Scattergood, Christine Powthier, Bob Jacobson and his Shih tzu, See-See Jacobson, David Butterworth, Grant Giles, Alison Butterworth (as Jessica Fletcher), Police Chief Bob Hasch (not on the clock), Officer Larry Brown (also not on the clock), Phil Chapman, and boom operator Emory Arzu.

“My theory is that everybody plays a role in life and everybody carries the power to be an actor,” Herreros said. “Here in Boothbay Harbor I want the people to play the roles I have given them, but I want them to always remember who they really are.”

Herreros had written a script before the auditions, but planned to adapt it after meeting some of the actors. For this director, auditions don't involve cold readings from a script, or singing a song you've prepared. He prefers to get to know them, hear about what they do, hear their stories, see how they look, and feel their energy.

And the energy he and the crew have received from the community has been positive and welcoming.

“It's as I imagined, how I dreamed it would be,” shared Herreros. “Everybody is so friendly … everything is easy to do here. We ask the town manager (Tom Woodin) if we can do something, he says OK no problem; the police chief and reverend (Sarah Foulger) say OK, we will help you. It has been wonderful.”

These filmmakers from France have been creating relationships with residents here, during filming and over the few weeks they've been in Boothbay prior to auditions.

While filming at Ocean Point on Tuesday, DuFranc said the filming was going very well. “Everything has been great. The actors are all great. We are all starting to get to know each other, setting up relationships.”

Other local “actors,” many of whom DuFranc and Herreros want to keep in touch with, in other scenes included: Laura & Phil Chapman, Heather Casey, Anna Christina Rogers, Sallee Glaesner, Diane Randlett, Kayce McDaniel, Deborah Anne Cotter, Sierra McDougall, Tali Gosselin, Howard Wright, and students in Mary Miller’s drama group at Boothbay Region High School.

Sometime next year, Boothbay region residents, and the cast, will be able to see will see “Return to Cabot Cove” for themselves at the Opera House.

“We stopped by the Opera House and spoke about organizing an exhibition there,” Herreros said. “I want it to be the same full installation with an opening where families and everyone can come and experience ‘Return to Cabot Cove’ it as it will be in France.”

The short film will be shown in contemporary art spaces in 2017. This project is financially supported by the French National Center of Arts.

For more on Christophe Herreros and his adventures with film, visit https://vimeo.com/user5215973.

A few days before leaving for Paris, DuFranc said everything went very well and that Herreros was very happy with the filming - and everyone they worked with and met in the Boothbay region.

Said Dufranc, “We are sad to go. But, we know this will not be the last time we see this place.”