Award-Winning Film ‘Emilia Pérez’ Sparks Controversy Over Mexican Representation

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – French director Jacques Audiard‘s musical drama Emilia Pérez, a frontrunner for major awards this season, has ignited fierce criticism over its portrayal of Mexico and its handling of sensitive cultural and social issues. The film, which blends genres to tell the story of a Mexican drug lord transitioning into a woman seeking redemption, has garnered accolades but also backlash for its perceived Eurocentric approach.

Since its premiere, Emilia Pérez has won four awards at the Cannes Film Festival, five European Film Awards, and received 11 BAFTA nominations. It is now a strong contender for multiple Oscars, including a potential historic nomination for Karla Sofía Gascón, who could become the first trans woman nominated for Best Actress. However, the film’s depiction of Mexico and its limited involvement of Mexican talent have drawn sharp criticism.

Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén has been vocal about his concerns. “Mexico hates Emilia Pérez,” he wrote on social media, calling it a “racist Eurocentric mockery.” Guillén told the BBC, “There’s a drug war, over 500,000 dead since 2006, and we are still immersed in violence. To take one of the most difficult topics in the country and turn it into a musical feels like playing with one of the biggest wars since the Revolution.”

The film’s cast includes only one Mexican actress, Adriana Paz, among its four leads. Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez, while of Latin American heritage, are not Mexican-born. Gomez, who had to relearn Spanish for the role, faced criticism for her pronunciation, though some defended her performance as fitting for her character, an American with limited Spanish fluency.

Director Jacques Audiard defended his creative choices, stating that he initially scouted locations in Mexico but found the reality too “pedestrian” for his stylized vision. “I had a much more stylized vision in my mind,” he explained. “So we brought it to Paris and reinjected the DNA of an opera within it.” He also drew parallels to Shakespeare, asking, “Did Shakespeare need to go all the way to Verona to write a story about that place?”

Despite the controversy, the film has its supporters, including acclaimed Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who praised it as “audacious.” Adriana Paz, the film’s sole Mexican lead, expressed confusion over the criticism, saying, “I’ve heard people saying it’s offensive to Mexico. I really want to know why, because I didn’t feel that way.”

As Emilia Pérez continues its awards season run, it remains a lightning rod for debates about cultural authenticity, representation, and the responsibilities of filmmakers when tackling sensitive subjects. Whether it triumphs at the Oscars or not, its legacy will likely be defined by the conversations it has sparked.