Convention - Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show 38 : Kaamelott conference with Serge Papagalli and Gilles Graveleau lights up Villepinte

By Mulder, Villepinte, Parc des Expositions, 04 october 2025

The Kaamelott crowd came hungry and left grinning. On Saturday, October 4, 2025, at Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Hall, the Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show 38 conference dedicated to Alexandre Astier’s cult universe reunited two beloved “paysans” from the series: Serge Papagalli (Guethenoc) and Gilles Graveleau (Roparzh). The timing wasn’t accidental; just weeks before the theatrical release of Kaamelott – Deuxième Volet: Partie 2 on October 22, 2025, the session felt like a warm-up lap for the saga’s return to the big screen. Between nods to the show’s legendary rural feuds and affectionate jabs at courtly incompetence, the room pulsed with that very Kaamelott energy—deadpan, precise, and a little anarchic. Confirmation of the festival’s dates and venue came straight from the organizers’ channels, while the imminent film release has been trailed for months across trade and mainstream outlets, so fans knew they were catching this duo at exactly the right moment. 

What made the conversation sing was the contrast that has always made Kaamelott work: the mythic frame versus everyday squabbles. Serge Papagalli’s Guethenoc and Gilles Graveleau’s Roparzh are neighbors and rivals, the very definition of love-hate agrarian diplomacy, and hearing them discuss how that chemistry was built—grounded in rhythms of speech, stubborn pride, and a perennially moving goalpost about taxes and turnips—was catnip for longtime viewers. That dynamic is canon: Guethenoc and Roparzh anchor a comic axis in the series, and their presence in the later books cemented the show’s swing from sketch comedy to character-driven dramedy. It’s also the perfect on-ramp for newcomers, a reminder that Kaamelott’s humor isn’t only for the knights; the peasants often steal the scene precisely because they treat Arthur’s legendary project like yet another administrative hassle to navigate. 

Context mattered too. Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show 38 has grown into a high-throughput pop-culture hub, and this edition—run by TGS—once again packed Villepinte with conferences, signings, and cosplay, with the Kaamelott hour standing room only. The show’s official pages beat the drum for October 4–5 and teased the guest list early, including both Serge Papagalli and Gilles Graveleau, which explains the crush at the conference space. Multiple event listings backed up the dates, location, and general program shape, from opening hours to price points, which—paired with social posts—helped attendees lock their schedules. On the ground, that translated to brisk lines, quick turnovers, and a vibe closer to a reunion than a standard panel, with audience prompts referencing deep-cut sketches and recurring gags. 

There was also a tangible what’s next” current. With Kaamelott – Deuxième Volet: Partie 2  dated for November 11, 2025, and fresh previews dropping this week, every mention of the big screen drew cheers. The cast list points to a heavily returning ensemble, and coverage has emphasized a tone that leans larger and darker while keeping the series’ vernacular snap. That pre-release drumbeat—trailers, early footage peeks, even score news—gave the conference a lightly conspiratorial crackle; you could feel the room triangulating what might await Guethenoc and Roparzh once the saga’s chessboard resets. 

Part of the fun was tracing careers beyond the fields of Logres. Serge Papagalli, a veteran actor and stage director, has become synonymous with Guethenoc but carries a long résumé across film, TV, and theater; his dry delivery and exacting timing are the reason even throwaway lines land like darts. Gilles Graveleau, meanwhile, has quietly widened his footprint behind the camera; his feature directorial debut La Startup shot in 2024 with a Kaamelott-flavored constellation of collaborators, a neat bit of creative cross-pollination that the fandom clocked early. That broader context reframed the conference as more than pure nostalgia; it was a snapshot of two artisans who helped define Kaamelott’s peasant chorus and are still actively reshaping their craft. 

If you’re new to the phenomenon, a quick primer explains the devotion in the room. Created, written, directed, scored, and edited by Alexandre Astier, Kaamelott began on M6 as a rapid-fire medieval comedy before evolving into longer, more serialized “Books,” deepening characters like Jean-Christophe Hembert’s Karadoc, Thomas Cousseau’s Lancelot, and Anne Girouard’s Guenièvre. Crucially, the series made space for non-noble voices, giving Serge Papagalli and Gilles Graveleau’s duo a permanent seat at the table—if mostly outside the castle walls. That balance between court and countryside, epic and mundane, remains the franchise’s superpower and explains why a con panel with two “secondary” characters can headline a busy Saturday slot and feel like the main event. 

As Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show wrapped day one, the Kaamelott conference left behind the best kind of residue: shared lines, in-jokes revived, and a calendar reminder set for November 11. Villepinte did what it does best—compress a fandom into a single room and let it recognize itself—while Serge Papagalli and Gilles Graveleau reminded everyone that Kaamelott’s world is held together not only by kings and knights but also by neighbors who won’t stop arguing over fences. For practical details on this edition—dates, venue, schedules—the organizers’ pages remain the reference; for the emotion in the air, the photos and footage tell the truth.

You can discover our photos in our Flickr page

Photos and video : Boris Colletier / Mulderville