Movie buffs are you ready for some drama? The Oscar nominations are out and Netflix's Emilia Perez is leading the pack with a whopping 13 nods! That is more than any other movie this year. But hold on before you crown it Best Picture champ because this film is stirring up a LOT of conversation and not all of it is good. Let's unpack the Emilia Perez Oscar buzz and all the controversies swirling around it.
From Cannes Darling to Controversy Magnet: Why Is 'Emilia Perez' So Divisive?
Emilia Perez is a crime musical about a cartel leader in Mexico who transitions to become a woman and tries to reconcile with her past. Sounds unique right? It definitely grabbed attention at Cannes Film Festival where it even won the Jury Prize and the cast snagged a Best Actress award. Early buzz was strong but things have gotten… complicated since then.
One of the biggest head-scratchers is the massive gap between critics and audience reactions. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes give it a decent 72% score. Audiences? Not so much. The audience score is a shockingly low 16%. Sixteen percent! That is a major disconnect. So what is going on?
Mexico vs. France: Cultural Clash and Authenticity Questions for 'Emilia Perez'
One major point of criticism is the film's portrayal of Mexico . Even though it is set in Mexico Emilia Perez was mostly filmed in France. The director Jacques Audiard is French as well. Some Mexican critics and viewers feel the movie gets Mexico wrong minimizing the serious issue of cartel violence and not really capturing the culture authentically. They feel it presents a superficial and even stereotypical view of the country.
Adding to this the cast is international but not predominantly Mexican. While Adriana Paz is from Mexico City and Selena Gomez is Mexican-American most of the leads like Zoe Saldaña (Dominican and Puerto Rican) and Karla Sofía Gascón (Spanish) are not Mexican. Some have questioned if this further contributes to the feeling of cultural inauthenticity even though Selena Gomez defended her Spanish-speaking performance.
Trans Representation or Harmful Tropes? The Debate Around 'Emilia Perez' Character
Another layer of controversy is how the film handles its transgender character. While Emilia Perez does get some credit for casting a trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón in the lead role some critics argue the character still falls into harmful old Hollywood tropes. There is concern that portraying a trans woman as a former villainous drug lord reinforces negative stereotypes about trans people being unstable or dangerous.
GLAAD even called the portrayal "profoundly retrograde" and a "step backward" back in November. Some viewers feel the film uses gender transition as just a plot device without really exploring the trans experience in a meaningful way. They feel it perpetuates a "lazy trope" that can be harmful especially in the current political climate where trans rights are under attack.
Tweets and Troubles: Karla Sofía Gascón's Past Social Media Under Fire
Adding fuel to the fire past tweets from Karla Sofía Gascón herself have resurfaced and caused a major stir. These tweets from years ago contain racist and Islamophobic content. There were tweets making disparaging comments about George Floyd suggesting Islam should be banned and criticizing Muslim assimilation in Spain.
Gascón also had older tweets criticizing the Oscars themselves for being too focused on "protest films" and "diversity". These tweets understandably sparked outrage and overshadowed her historic Oscar nomination as the first openly trans woman nominated for Best Actress.
While Gascón has apologized and deactivated her X account the damage may be done. She has cancelled pre-Oscar events and her Oscar chances seem to have taken a hit even though she still plans to attend the ceremony. Her co-stars and even director Jacques Audiard have distanced themselves somewhat from her tweets with Audiard calling her comments "inexcusable" and expressing disappointment.
Oscar Fate in the Balance: Will Controversy Sink 'Emilia Perez' Best Picture Chances?
So with all this controversy what does it mean for Emilia Perez's Oscar hopes? While the movie still has a good shot at winning Best International Feature Film and Zoe Saldaña is still a strong contender for Best Supporting Actress its chances for Best Picture seem to be shrinking.
Oscar frontrunners often face scrutiny but the level of backlash against Emilia Perez is significant. It remains to be seen if the Academy voters will look past the controversies and focus on the film's artistic merits or if the negative buzz will be too much to overcome. It's a reminder that even with critical praise and a high nomination count the road to Oscar glory can be bumpy especially when controversy enters the picture.
'Emilia Perez' Oscar Nominations: A Full List
Despite the controversies Emilia Perez still racked up an impressive 13 Oscar nominations . Here's the full list:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Jacques Audiard)
- Best Actress (Karla Sofía Gascón)
- Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña)
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Film Editing
- Best Cinematography
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Sound
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song ("El Mal")
Echoes of Past Oscar Controversies: 'Emilia Perez' Joins a Troubled List
Emilia Perez is not the first movie to face backlash during awards season. Remember Green Book's Best Picture win which was criticized for its portrayal of race? Or Crash another controversial Best Picture winner? Films dealing with sensitive topics or featuring problematic figures often spark debate and sometimes outrage.
In the context of trans representation films like Dallas Buyers Club and The Danish Girl also faced criticism for casting cisgender actors in trans roles. While Emilia Perez avoids this particular issue with Gascón's casting it is still navigating a complex landscape of representation cultural sensitivity and audience expectations.
Will 'Emilia Perez' Defy the Odds? The Oscars Await
So what will happen on Oscar night? Will Emilia Perez surprise everyone and take home Best Picture? Will Karla Sofía Gascón win Best Actress despite the tweet controversy? Or will the controversies ultimately overshadow the film's achievements and limit its wins to categories like Best International Feature Film or Best Supporting Actress?
One thing is certain Emilia Perez has sparked a major conversation. It highlights the complexities of representation cultural authenticity and the challenges of navigating sensitive topics in film especially in today's social media driven world. Whether you love it hate it or are just plain confused by it Emilia Perez has definitely made its mark on this Oscar season. We will have to tune in to see what the Academy decides.