L'Alpe d'Huez (France) (AFP)

Philippe Katerine defines himself as "shy", that cinema forces him to "be in a group". In the credits of the film "The Lion" with Dany Boon, the hiss of French song is more and more present on a large screen which allows "to get out of oneself".

Vintage elephant-legged pants and curved sweater, it appears slightly offset alongside Dany Boon, at the Alpe d'Huez Comedy Film Festival. He came there for the first time, before resuming the tour of his new album, "Confessions", which made him one of the favorites of the next Victoires de la Musique, with three nominations.

"Eating raclette around midnight, I don't know if it was a good idea", he digresses after the opening night of the Festival, where he presented "Le Lion" by Ludovic Colbeau-Justin, a popular action comedy with Dany Boon, in theaters on January 29.

The singer of "Louxor j'adore" and "La Banane" plays a doctor in a psychiatric hospital, quickly overtaken by a patient he will be forced to escape and who claims to be a secret agent.

The two actors form a duo in the line of the films of Francis Veber or Gérard Oury, Philippe Katerine evoking the compositions of Pierre Richard or Bourvil as a man overwhelmed by the situation, lunar and awkward, who will unexpectedly enter the action .

"When I read the script, I was completely enthusiastic, very excited," he says. For film choices, "I trust my instincts, and then know about it ... I'm like a little cork in the water," he adds.

Rewarded last year by a César for best supporting role for his character of Thierry, shy pool employee with slow speaking in "Le Grand Bain", the eccentric singer goes on roles on the big screen, now also in view in the cinema as in music.

- impresario or prefect -

We thus saw him in second roles of impresario with improbable outfits in "Yves" by Benoît Forgeard - for whom he had also been president of the Republic in "Gaz de France" -, or recently as deputy mayor in "Notre Dame" by Valérie Donzelli and prefect in "Merveilles à Montfermeil" by Jeanne Balibar.

Figures of politicians who surprise him. "I had also made a film with Eric and Ramzy, + The Tower 2 infernal control +, where I was naughty, I killed people", recalls the one who would one day see himself well in a role of "missionary parish priest" - he dreamed of it.

"It is getting out of yourself that is interesting. In life, I am not particularly authoritarian, I am delighted to do it for the camera. It must relieve me of something", continues this man with a soft and calm voice , whose reserved style contrasts with his often extravagant songs.

"It's true that I'm shy," he admits, saying that cinema is also a way for him to get out of his house, where he would happily stay all day drawing.

"Being in a group, it scares me a little. But that is before. Once we are there I am good, it reassures me after", adds the artist, that cinema helps to "become a man ". "I am 50 years old, it was time!" Jokes the man who willingly says "put his madness in the records".

Very busy with his tour for "Confessions", crazy album with the voices of Gérard Depardieu, Léa Seydoux, Lomepal or Angèle, the singer says "of course happy" also with the success of the album. "I see that this record - still quite radical somewhere, because I did not censor myself -, meets people, so it is an immense opportunity for him".

© 2020 AFP