A documentary on Pete Doherty to “change the look on addiction”

(AFP) – The result of 10 years of raw filming in the privacy of Pete Doherty, the documentary “Stranger in my own skin” reveals the vulnerable poet behind the ex-child terrible of English rock, with the hope of “changing perspective on addiction”.

This 90-minute portrait, directed by his wife Katia deVidas, co-produced by Wendy Productions (Katia deVidas) and Federation, was released on the occasion of Mipcom, the largest international meeting for professionals in the audiovisual in Cannes.

Leader of the Libertines and Babyshambles who has often made the front page of the tabloids, Peter Doherty provokes “craze and curiosity”, confirms to AFP Myriam Weil, of Federation. But behind his highly publicized escapades hides “a disease that affects millions of people”, specifies Katia deVidas.

“Peter’s journey for us is an opportunity to change our perspective on what addiction is, these are not escapades, not the whims of a star who is freaking out”, insists Myriam Weill.

Based on 200 hours of rush, Katia deVidas thus follows his descent into hell linked to hard drugs like heroin, which will lead him to prison, and his fight to get out of it.

Originally, the director had been hired by the founder of Inrocks, Christian Fevret, “to film concerts”, she explains to AFP.

“Peter became familiar with my presence, he was super comfortable and said to me + come and film this +. We started accumulating rushes without really knowing what to do with them” before seeing a story take shape and a movie about creativity.

“We got very attached,” adds the one who was first friends with Peter Doherty “for years”.

Despite his dark side, “Peter is hilarious, he made me laugh every day. He works all the time”, she describes, happy that her film can “reset” certain things. Like the time when one of his Parisian concerts was canceled for a reason “not at all rock’n’roll” (spoiler: a late train), recalls Myriam Weil.

Now based in Etretat in Normandy, Peter Doherty has been “clean” for “three years”, assures Katia deVidas, who “takes nothing for granted”.

He released an album this year with Frenchman Frédéric Lo, and is currently writing a new one for The Libertines with Carl Barât.