At the beginning of the awards season, *Emilia Perez* appeared poised to be one of this year’s standout success stories. It garnered multiple accolades at the Golden Globes, including Best Comedy or Musical Film, and then received an impressive 13 Oscar nominations, making it the most nominated non-English language film in the history of the awards. This weekend at the BAFTAs, it is nominated for 11 awards, narrowly trailing behind the papal thriller *Conclave*, which has 12 nominations. Additionally, star Karla Sofia Gascon has made history as a trans woman nominated for Best Actress at both ceremonies.
Set in Mexico but primarily filmed in France, *Emilia Perez* is an operatic Spanish-language musical that tells the story of a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirmation surgery. Last May, it won the Cannes Film Festival jury prize, setting it on a path toward success in the 2025 awards season.
The film’s recognition seems to reflect the evolving attitudes of voters in recent years; however, as its profile increased, so did the scrutiny. The US LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD has criticized *Emilia Perez* as a “step backward for trans representation,” pointing out reviews from transgender critics who argue that inauthentic portrayals of trans individuals can be offensive and even harmful.
The film has also faced backlash for its stereotypical representations of Mexico and the apparent lack of Mexican individuals in its main cast and crew. Among the lead actors, Gascon is Spanish, US actress Zoe Saldana has Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage, and Selena Gomez is American, with a father of Mexican descent. Adriana Paz is the only Mexican among the main cast.
In a widely shared post on social media, Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén criticized the film, stating, “Mexico hates Emilia Pérez/ Racist Euro Centrist Mockery/ Almost 500K dead and France decides to do a musical/ No Mexicans in their cast or crew.”
While narratives about “narco” crime in Latin America have long been depicted in film, *Emilia Perez* has faced particular criticism for its portrayal of the subject. Since 2006, a violent conflict between Mexican authorities and drug cartels has resulted in over 400,000 deaths, according to government statistics, with more than 100,000 individuals reported missing.
General audience reception appears mixed. On the film database site IMDb, *Emilia Perez* holds a rating of 5.5 out of 10, while its nine competitors for Best Picture at the Oscars range from 7.3 for *The Substance* to 8.8 for *I’m Still Here*.