Emilia Pérez is a Spanish-language musical thriller about an undervalued lawyer drawn into a cartel leader’s plan to disappear, transition and begin a new life. Jacques Audiard’s deliberately hybrid film won two major prizes at Cannes in 2024, but its acclaim has not settled debate over how it portrays Mexico, cartel violence or transgender identity.
What is Emilia Pérez about?
Rita, a lawyer whose abilities are underused, is recruited by cartel leader Manitas to help fake his death. Manitas intends to leave cartel life and live as Emilia, the woman she has long wanted to be. Netflix’s synopsis presents the story through Rita’s role in that plan; the Festival de Cannes record describes the character’s attempt to withdraw from the criminal world and start anew. The film follows more than the transition itself: it brings Rita, Emilia and other women into a story about power, reinvention and the consequences of violence.
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Audiard wrote and directed the film. Its principal cast includes Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz, alongside Édgar Ramírez. The Festival de Cannes film record and Netflix’s official synopsis and credits provide the premise and credits.
Is Emilia Pérez a musical?
Yes. Cannes describes it as a musical thriller, and Netflix says the story is told through songs and dance. Music is part of the film’s narrative form, not simply a soundtrack laid over a conventional crime drama. The songs and choreography sit alongside cartel-thriller elements, making the film an intentionally unusual blend of genres rather than a straightforward musical or crime story. Cannes’ description of the film’s music discusses that approach.
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What did the film win at Cannes and the major awards?
At the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Emilia Pérez won the Jury Prize and the festival’s Best Actress prize for its female ensemble. Its later awards added to that recognition, but awards measure industry outcomes—not whether a film’s portrayal of a culture or community is representative.
| Award event | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 Cannes Film Festival | Jury Prize; Best Actress for the female ensemble. Festival de Cannes |
| Golden Globes | Four wins: musical or comedy picture, non-English-language motion picture, supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña, and original song for “El Mal.” Netflix Tudum awards coverage |
| 97th Academy Awards | Two wins: supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña and original song for “El Mal.” Associated Press results coverage |
Why has the film drawn criticism in Mexico?
Acclaim at festivals and awards ceremonies has coexisted with criticism of the film’s treatment of Mexican life and cartel violence. In its report on the film’s Mexico release, the Associated Press described objections that the portrayal felt superficial or glamorized violence, as well as mixed reactions among audience members. Those are reported criticisms and reactions, not a single view shared by all Mexican viewers.
The distinction matters: a film’s setting does not make it a reliable account of a country, and awards do not establish cultural authenticity. Emilia Pérez is a work of fiction shaped by its creators’ choices. It should not be treated as speaking for Mexico or for transgender people. The AP’s 25 January 2025 report also gave figures for the premiere it covered—20,000 attendees and about US$74,000 (1.5 million pesos). Those are event-level figures, not a national box-office total or a representative measure of opinion. Associated Press coverage of the Mexico release describes the responses and the limited scope of those numbers.
Where can you watch Emilia Pérez?
Netflix reported that the film began streaming in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada on 13 November 2024. That is a dated release notice for those territories, not confirmation of current availability everywhere: Netflix catalogs differ by country and can change. Check the Netflix title page for the listing in your region. Netflix’s title page identifies the film and its language and genre information.
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