Why Oscar darling 'Emilia Pérez' is facing backlash in Mexico
What's the story
The French film Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard, made history with a record-breaking 13 Oscar nominations on Thursday. The Spanish-language transgender musical crime comedy surpassed previous records for non-English-language films. Despite this international acclaim and four Golden Globe wins, the film faces criticism in Mexico for allegedly trivializing the country's drug-related violence.
Controversy
'Emilia Pérez' under fire for alleged cultural insensitivity
A Change.org petition, which has garnered over 11,000 signatures, accuses Emilia Pérez of trivializing Mexico's missing persons issue. The petitioners argue that the film is "insensitive" and "disrespectful to our culture that goes far beyond drug trafficking and the pain of thousands of families." Angie Orozco, whose child is among Mexico's 100K+ missing persons, hoped the film's controversy could lead to a deeper understanding of these issues.
Missing people problem
Here's more about the missing people issue in Mexico
The issue of missing persons is serious in Mexico. As per the United Nations Human Rights, official records indicate that there are currently 1,15,000 people whose whereabouts are unknown in the country. The suspected reasons behind the disappearances vary. While some (especially during the 1970s-80s) have been known to be enforced disappearances that were used as a strategy of repression against political dissidents, others have been scaled back to drug problems.
Milestones
'Emilia Pérez' features groundbreaking Oscar nominations
Emilia Pérez stars Karla Sofia Gascon as a narco who transitions to a woman and helps families of the missing. The film also stars Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, and Mexican actor Adriana Paz. Gascon's performance has made her the first openly trans actor nominated for an Oscar in the best actress category, while Saldana was nominated for best supporting actress.
Festival response
'Emilia Pérez' faced criticism at Morelia Film Festival
The film's first reception in Mexico wasn't warm either, with a lukewarm response at the Morelia Film Festival in October. Mexican cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto slammed the film for feeling "inauthentic," especially considering the sensitive subject. Despite the criticisms, Audiard defended his film against accusations of misrepresenting Mexico but conceded he may have "handled it clumsily."
Critic opinions
It received mixed reviews from Mexican critics
Mexican writer Jorge Volpi called Emilia Pérez "one of the crudest and most misleading films of the 21st century," accusing it of carrying prejudices against gender transitions. However, he praised Gascon's performance. Gomez's Spanish accent was criticized by Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez who later apologized for his remarks. Despite the controversy, Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro praised Audiard as "one of the most amazing filmmakers alive."