2026 Student Academy Awards Series Part 8: La Pichenotte

La Pichenotte, dir. Antoine Boulanger

In your last moments on earth, when the Angel of Death arrives at your door, a flick of his finger usually ends your suffering and carries you peacefully to the afterlife. But what happens if that flick doesn’t work? This is the premise of Antoine Boulanger’s film La Pichenotte, a finalist for the Student Academy Awards.

Boulanger, a Québécois filmmaker, developed the project during his time at Concordia University. It premiered at Quebec’s Fantasia Film Festival and stands as the lone Canadian representative among this year’s Student Academy Award finalists.

The film follows not the Angel of Death, Gabriel, but rather a functional representative named Stéphane (Hugo Giroux) as he arrives to send Huguette (Carmen Silvestre) peacefully to the afterlife. When he flicks his finger upon Huguette, who is accepting and anticipating her fate, that flick or the pichenotte fails. Stéphane and Huguette then collaborate on various alternative ways to die. Over the course of their attempts at achieving death they ponder life and loss, but also foster real connection and friendship.

Boulanger has spoken openly about the personal roots of the film, which grew out of his father’s struggles with mental health and multiple suicide attempts, a period he describes as dark, confusing, and difficult to process. While this background adds profound poignancy, the movie itself remains mostly light-hearted and comedic in tone. Stéphane shares the quirky bureaucracy of his agency, explaining why agents no longer carry pitchforks, and even answers whether God exists. Huguette enters into this absurdist quest with a joyous lust for life, with Silvestre’s delightful wide-eyed smile filling the frame with every new attempt at a successful death.

Boulanger demonstrates a strong command of the film, where thoughtful camera work and sound design, such as subtle camera pushes and evocative music swells, effectively accentuate the emotional moments. Ultimately, La Pichenotte delivers a playful yet resonant meditation on mortality, giving shape to Boulanger’s hope that imagination and humor can transform our relationship with death. 

Review by: Kevin Ward