Kapanlagi.com -
Written by: Adristi Putri Febrianti
The film EMILIA PEREZ, starring American actress and singer Selena Gomez, has officially been selected by the French Film Committee to represent the country at the 2025 Oscars. The film will compete in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards, adding to the list of achievements of Spanish-language French films.
In her Instagram post on September 23, 2024, Selena Gomez expressed her pride in the film.
"Making this film was worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears. I am so proud of this project, Jacques," Selena wrote, referring to the film's director, Jacques Audiard.
The selection of this film as France's representative further emphasizes the quality and appeal of EMILIA PEREZ on the international stage, and raises audience expectations for the film that tells the profound journey of its characters.
1. Synopsis
(Credit: www.imdb.com)
EMILIA PEREZ tells the story of Rita (Zoe Saldana), a lawyer at a law firm. She is known for often helping criminals rather than fighting for justice. Problems arise when Rita has to handle the case of Manitas (Karla Sofia Gascon), a former drug cartel leader who wants to undergo a secret gender reassignment operation.
Manitas hopes to become a true woman as she has always dreamed. On the other hand, Manitas has a wife named Jessi (Selena Gomez), who is unaware of her husband's plans. The complex storyline and humanistic touch make this film stand out among similarly themed films.
This film not only explores the story of gender identity but also the complexities of human relationships, power, and love. EMILIA PEREZ is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on November 1, 2024, and on Netflix on November 13, 2024.
2. The Race for the Oscar 2025
(Credit: www.imdb.com)
EMILIA PEREZ is considered one of the strong candidates for an Oscar nomination, but the film must compete with several other titles. The French Oscar committee has compiled a shortlist that includes four films, including the classic adaptation of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas, as well as two other films, ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT by Payal Kapadia and the thriller MISERICORDIA by Alain Guiraudie.
One of the toughest competitors for EMILIA PEREZ is THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, which has achieved extraordinary success at the French box office with over 8 million tickets sold. Meanwhile, EMILIA PEREZ itself has sold nearly 750,000 tickets since its release by Pathe in August 2024, showing a respectable performance although still far behind its competitors.
EMILIA PEREZ is scheduled to attend the Oscar award night on March 3, 2025, at the Dolby Theater, Los Angeles. Before the event, the nominations will be announced on January 17, 2025, which will determine whether the film will compete in the prestigious international competition.
3. Recognition at Cannes and Positive Criticism of the Film Emilia Perez
(Credit: www.imdb.com)
Before being selected to represent France at the Oscars, EMILIA PEREZ had already received recognition at various international festivals. The film won two major awards at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, including Best Actress Ensemble awarded to all the lead actresses, such as Karla SofÃa Gascon, Zoe Saldana, and Selena Gomez.
In addition to the awards for the cast, EMILIA PEREZ also won the Jury Prize led by Greta Gerwig. The success at Cannes attracted Netflix, which purchased the distribution rights for this film in the United States and the United Kingdom, increasing the film's global exposure.
Apart from the awards received, the film also garnered positive reviews from many critics. They praised the performances of the actors, the strong storyline, and Jacques' directing style. One of those who praised it was Joko Anwar, an Indonesian filmmaker, who watched the film at the Jakarta World Cinema 2024. In his Instagram post, he described the film as a brilliant work, conveying a combination of strength and tenderness that moved him to tears.
(kpl/adp)
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.