The Natashquan Punk

A film by Nicola Lachapelle

Documentary short film | 20 minutes | 2025

In 1981, a strange figure arrives in Natashquan. This marks the beginning of an unlikely love story between this small Quebec village and a young man nicknamed “The Punk.” The story comes to an abrupt end five years later with his mysterious disappearance, which will forever shake the entire community.

Filmed 40 years after the events, Le Punk de Natashquan is an investigation that strays into the realm of mythology. Using the codes of cinéma direct, true crime, and archival filmmaking, this short film—much like punk itself—blurs the lines between reality and legend in a masterful mix that is both entertaining and complex.

Organize a screening

Please contact the distributor Les Films du 3 Mars

Trailer

Behind the scenes

Photos by Max Vannienschoot

Behind the scene by LA FABRIQUE CULTURELLE

SCREENWRITING AND DIRECTING - NICOLAS LACHAPELLE
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - ETIENNE ROUSSY
SCREENWRITING ADVISOR - JEAN-FRANÇOIS LESAGE
EDITOR - EMMANUELLE LANE

PRODUCER - ÉLODIE POLLET

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS - JÉRÉMIE BATTAGLIA and AMÉLIE LAMBERT BOUCHARD

SOUND RECORDING - TIAGO MCNICOLL CASTRO LOPES

SOUND DESIGN - FRANCIS GAUTHIER

SOUND MIX - JEAN-PAUL VIALARD

COMPOSER AND MUSICAL DIRECTION - CÉDRIC DIND-LAVOIE

ACTOR - GABRIEL BERGERON POULIN

WITH - Simon Landry, Gaétan Landry, Ghislain Landry, Léo Hounsell, Marie-Claude Vigneault, Serge Landry, Ethan Landry

Crew

Selections

Québec Cinéma Gala (Canada), 2025, nomination
Audience Award, REGARD Festival, official competition and opening film (Canada), 2025
Second Prize for Short Films, Knowlton Film Festival (Canada), 2025
Hugues Fléchard Award – Best Quebec Screenplay, Off-Courts Trouville (France), 2025
Short Film Corner Award, Namur International Francophone Film Festival (Belgium), 2025
Grand Prize, COURT SUR PLACE Festival (Canada), 2025
Audience Award – Bronze / Best Quebec Short Film, Fantasia Festival (Canada), 2025
Quebec City Film Festival (Canada), 2025, official competition film
Clapham International Film Festival (England), 2025
Les Percéides – Percé International Film and Art Festival (Canada), 2025
Vues sur mer Documentary Film Festival (Canada), 2025, competition film
Festifilm de la Beauce (Canada), 2025
Abitibi-Témiscamingue International Film Festival (Canada), 2025, competition film
Spasm Festival (Canada), 2025, competition film
Tous Courts Festival (France), 2025, international competition
Acadia International Francophone Film Festival (Canada), 2025
Festival des macacains (Canada), 2025
Images en Vues Short Film Festival (Canada), 2025, competition film
Acadia International Francophone Film Festival (Moncton, NB, Canada), 2025, competition film
Tous Courts Festival (Aix-en-Provence International Short Film Festival, France), 2025, competition film
Plein(s) Écran(s) Festival (Quebec, Canada), 2025, competition film
Vues dans la... Festival tête de … (Rivière-du-Loup, QC, Canada), 2025, film in competition
IFFO - The International Film Festival of Ottawa (ON, Canada), 2025, film in competition
Vues du Québec - Florac Festival (France), 2026
Prix collégial du cinéma québécois - PCCQ (Quebec), 2026
« Images en bibliothèques » Network, 2026

Past Screenings

Café Bistro L'Échouerie
Carré 150
LaSalle Borough
La Pellicule Ensorcelée
Ciné-Jonction Hull-Gatineau
La Petite Place des Arts
Preceding the feature film *Des chats sauvages*
- Café-Ciné Lavaltrie
- Cinéma Paraloeil
- Cinéma Haskell
Par-Court Plein(s) Écran(s)
- Beaubassin Beach Campground (City of Bonaventure, Gaspésie)
- Maison du Cinéma (Sherbrooke)
- Cinéma 9 (Gatineau)
- Cinéma Lyn (Fort-Coulonge)
- Cinéma Tapis Rouge (Trois-Rivières)
- Cinéma Beaumont (Quebec City)
- Cinéma Gaieté (Matane)
- Cinéma Paraloeil (Rimouski)
- Cinéma Paramount (Rouyn-Noranda)
- Cinéma Capitol (Val-d’Or)
- Cinéma Pine (Sainte-Adèle)
- High school class (Rouyn-Noranda)