Hellman's M.A thesis in French literature in McGill University explored the subject of bilingualism, creativity and identity in the works of Samuel Beckett.

He has published essays on music, literature and identity in several French Canadian literary reviews, including Liberté, L’inconvénient and Moebius.

Hellman’s most recent show, Rêves américains, de la ruée vers l’or à la grande crise, explores North American history, from the gold rush to the Great Depression, through venerable old folk songs, literary texts put to music (HD Thoreau, J. Steinbeck, Frank H Mayer), and his own texts.

He was nominated for a prix Jutra for Best original composition for Martin Laroche’s film Fair sex (les manèges humains).

This series -part story-telling, part musical performance- marked the beginning of his career in radio, which included his becoming a book reviewer on Christiane Charette.