He then plays a bowler in La Grande Vie! in 2001, a film by Philippe Dajoux. In 2003, he played the commissioner Séléna in l’Outremangeur by Thierry Binisti. It was on this set that he met the actress Rachida Brakni, who became his wife in 2007. These roles provide him some recognition in the eyes of French film critics.
That same year, he directed the short film Apporte-moi ton amour, with Daniel Duval and Nadia Fares, based on the book Bring me your Love by Charles Bukowski. The film was presented at the International Festival of Film and Television Cinéma Tous Écrans Geneva 2003. In 2005, he appeared in La vie est à nous! by Gérard Krawczyk. In 2007, he appeared in the films Le Deuxième Souffle by Alain Corneau. He then made a detour into TV in the TV movie Papillon noir directed by Christian Faure.
In 2009, he co-produced the Ken Loach film Looking for Eric, presented at Cannes 2009 as part of the official selection. He also plays himself alongside Steve Evets. This film collects many positive reviews and Cantona’s performance as an actor was greeted warmly by the press. The reply "I'm not a man, I'm Eric Cantona." Note 3 has been widely quoted in the media. According to Le Point, the actor "found the role of his life in Britain"
Filmography
1995 : Le bonheur est dans le pré d'Étienne Chatiliez : Lionel
1997 : Question d'honneur de Richard Auhard (court métrage)
1998 : Elizabeth de Shekhar Kapur : M. Le Foix
1998 : Mookie d'Hervé Palud : Antoine Capella
1999 : Les Enfants du marais de Jean Becker : Jo Sardi
2001 : La Grande Vie! de Philippe Dajoux : un joueur de pétanque
2003 : L'Outremangeur de Thierry Binisti : Commissaire Séléna
2003 : Les Clefs de bagnole de Laurent Baffie : lui-même
2005 : La vie est à nous ! de Gérard Krawczyk : Pierre
2007 : Le Deuxième Souffle d'Alain Corneau : Alban
2008 : French Film de Jackie Oudney : Thierry Grimandi
2008 : Jack Says de Bob Phillips : l'homme au bar
2008 : Papillon noir de Christian Faure : Graphiste Sephi
2009 : Looking for Eric de Ken Loach : lui-même
2010 : Ensemble, c'est trop de Léa Fazer : Gérard
2011 : De force de Frank Henry : Manuel Makarov
2011 : Switch de Frédéric Schoendoerffer : Forgeat
2012 : Les Mouvements du bassin de HPG : Thierry
2012 : Les Kaïra de Franck Gastambide : l'entraineur de l'équipe de football des nains
2013 : Les Rencontres d'après minuit de Yann Gonzalez : « L'Étalon »
2013 : Moi, moche et méchant 2 (Despicable Me 2) de Pierre Coffin et Chris Renaud : Eduardo Perez (voix)
Television
Eric Cantona has also made television appearances.
He plays the main character in the TV drama Papillon noir by Christian Faure, released in 2008 on TF1.
The following year, he was a cop who leads a parallel investigation in La Liste also by Christian Faure. This was the highest-rated television film on the day of its release 8 October 2009.
In November 2012, he began filming the TV movie Délit de fuite, directed by Thierry Binisti.
It will be released in 2013 on France 2.
Theater
2010 : Face au paradis by Nathalie Saugeon, staging Rachida Brakni, Théâtre Marigny, with Lorànt Deutsch
2011 :Ubu enchaîné by Alfred Jarry, staging Dan Jemmett, Le PhéniX, Théâtre Liberté, Théâtre du Gymnase, Le Quartz, Théâtre national de Nice, tour
2012 : Ubu enchaîné d'Alfred Jarry, mise en scène Dan Jemmett, Théâtre de Bourg-en-Bresse, Théâtre des Célestins, Théâtre de Caen, Théâtre de l'Athénée-Louis-Jouvet, tournée