WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Emilia Perez.
There has been speculation about whether Netflix’s crime comedy musical and Oscar-contenderEmilia Pérezis based on a true story. Directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone,The Sisters Brothers), the genre-blending film delivers innovative music numbers and choreography infused with a gut-wrenching story about unfulfilled desire and regret.The film is France’s official entry for Best International Feature at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards, which will be held on July 21, 2025 despite receivingbacklash about the misrepresentation of the realities of trans peopleand relying on trans narrative tropes.
The combined talents of Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez led thecast ofEmilia Pérez.Emilia Pérezwon the Jury Prize and theBest Actress Ensemble award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere in May.Emilia Pérez’ssoundtrackis one of the essential highlights of the film as well as the heart and soul of the ultimately tragic narrative. AlthoughEmilia Péreztakes place in several locations, the film was shot mostly in studios in Paris, France. By theend ofEmilia Pérez, the three main characters touch on many harsh truths about society and identity that call for revolutionary change.
Is Emilia Pérez A True Story, And Was There A Real Emilia?
The film brings up real-world issues about identity and society
The story ofEmilia Pérezfollows Saldaña’s Rita, a defense lawyer in Mexico City looking to make a difference, who encounters an unusual but lucrative opportunity from cartel kingpin Manitas Del Monte as he aims to fulfill his lifetime dream of transitioning to a woman. Emilia also undergoes a villain-to-hero transformation from the evil and heartless Manitas into a virtuous and saintlike community figure loved by many. There’sa great irony in the community mourning and celebrating the life of Emiliaat the end of the film when they only really know half of the picture, oblivious to how much violence Manitas had contributed to the world.
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While the story ofEmilia Pérezis tragic and inspirational,it is not based on a true story. This means that there was never a real person that the character of Emilia Pérez or Manitas Del Monte was based on. Given the gritty subject matter and neo-realist style of the film’s cinematography, which adds an interesting contrast to the over-the-top musical numbers and choreography seen throughout the film, it’s easy to believe that the film is at least in some ways based on reality. In truth,Emilia Pérezis a complete work of fiction even though some of its messages apply directly to and are intended for the world we live in.
What Inspired Emilia Pérez’s Story
A character in a 2018 novel
Emilia Pérezisa loose adaptation of the 2018 novelÉcoute, which translates to “Listen”, by Boris Razon. Writer/director Jacques Audiard toldW magazine, “The idea came to me through a book called Écoute [Listen]. Halfway through, there is a character who is a drug kingpin who wants to transition to become a woman. The author, who is a friend of mine, did not develop this character. I asked for the right to expand the character myself.” Outside the expansion of the character from the novel,Emilia Pérezdoes not adapt many other elements from the book.
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Audiard continued, “In Emilia Pérez, I was fascinated by the paradox of a person being very successful in a hyper-virile world and, at the same time, she is a woman. What is her life like when she is not able to express her true nature? She was, in fact, in a kind of prison. But even so, her new life comes at a cost.” This juxtaposition of her character was something that Audiard and his co-writers were able to explore through their artistic creativity rather than pulling from the life of an actual person.Karla Sofía Gascón, however, is a trans actress and is poised to become the first to ever receive an Academy Award nominationfor Best Actress.
How Karla Sofia Gascón’s Real Life Influenced Emilia Pérez’s Story
Gascón’s opinion and life experience greatly informed the screenplay and her character
Gascón was initially hesitant about taking on the role of Emilia Pérezbecause she was unsure of how her character would be portrayed and she was not a fan of musicals. Audiard used some of the real-life experiences and opinions of Gascón when crafting the titular character. According toVogue, “The director rewrote certain scenes as a result of Karla’s input—for example, one scene featuring an explosion of physical violence by Emilia was pared back to seething fury.” Audiard also initially intended for two different actors to play Manitas andEmilia Pérezbut Gascón changed his thinking. “It’s as if Beauty and the Beast were both locked in the same body,” Gascón noted.
Emilia Perez
Cast
Emilia Perez is a drama film that follows the life of Emilia Perez, a determined and ambitious individual striving to make a name for herself in a competitive environment. The story explores her journey as she navigates the challenges and obstacles that come her way, all while uncovering the complexities of her own identity.
