Le Passage (1986)
Directed by René Manzor

Film Synopsis

Any artist likes to have his work appreciated, but what do you do when your biggest fan turns out to be Death himself?  This is the situation that Jean Diaz finds himself in when, after an unfortunate road accident, he finds himself in a coma, trapped in the void between the land of the living and the much greater realm of the hereafter.  Jean is a writer and filmmaker in his early fifties, who lives alone with his son after his wife Catherine walked out on him.  Because Death is such an admirer of Jean's work, he offers him a chance to continue with his career, but on condition that he agrees to undertake a special commission for him.  Death has apparently become riled by all the violence he has witnessed on Earth over the last century, so he would like Jean to make an animated film condemning it.

It seems like a reasonable proposition, so Jean readily agrees - he will make the film in return for his life.  As a guarantee, he is obliged to leave Death with his right hand.  When Jean emerges from his coma, he finds he is being tended to by his mother.  Remembering his promise, he begins preparations for his next film, but it soon dawns on him that he has been deceived.  Death's true motive for making the film is not to arrest but to hasten the destruction of mankind!  Jean realises that there is only one way he can thwart Death's terrible scheme, and that involves finding a passage connecting this world with the next.  On learning that Jean has betrayed him, Death takes his revenge by projecting his son David into his film.  To save his son Jean is prepared to risk anything - even a fight to oblivion with the king of the next world!