Review of Jacques Audiard’s ‘Emilia Pérez’ Highlights Trans Representation in Film

Drew Burnett Gregory has returned to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to provide insights on LGBTQ+ cinema, highlighting both the commendable and challenging aspects of films featuring trans narratives.

The film ‘Emilia Pérez,’ directed by Jacques Audiard, presents itself as a bold exploration of trans identity, yet it also depicts a range of familiar and often criticized tropes regarding trans women.

Among the traditional tropes depicted in the film are the portrayal of a trans woman as a killer, the tragic narrative of a trans woman, and the depiction of transition as a form of death. Additionally, the film contains instances of deadnaming and misgendering, as well as the problematic description of a trans woman as being half male and half female.

Despite these recurring tropes, ‘Emilia Pérez’ distinguishes itself with its unique format as a musical opera. The story follows Rita Moro Castro, played by Zoe Saldana, who is drawn into a dramatic situation involving a kidnapping by a drug kingpin.

The narrative further develops when Rita, already secretly undergoing hormone treatment, is called upon to assist the drug kingpin in her journey towards receiving gender-affirming surgery. The inclusion of a romantic subplot between Emilia and her romantic interest, named Epifanía, adds another layer to the musical, although it does not escape the pitfalls of the aforementioned clichés.

The film oscillates between moments of genuine creativity and instances that reflect a lack of depth in the portrayal of trans experiences. While there are delightful musical numbers, they are often overshadowed by narrative choices that resonate as less than innovative.

In her critique, Gregory expresses a desire for more nuanced and authentic portrayals of trans individuals in cinematic stories, emphasizing that the current understanding of trans narratives must evolve beyond outdated representations.