Netflix crime comedy musical Emilia Pérez is by far the wildest potential Best Picture contender at the 2025 Oscars. The combined talents of Gascón, Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez led the cast of Emilia Pérezwho won the Jury Prize and the Best Actress Ensemble Award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival following its world premiere in May. The film is a loose adaptation of the 2018 novel Écoute by Boris Razon, which shows a big boss wanting to have gender reassignment surgery.
Directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone, The Sisters Brothers), the genre-bending film offers innovative musical numbers and choreography infused with a harrowing story about unfulfilled desires and regrets. It is France’s official entry for Best International Film in the next 97th Academy Awards to be held on March 2, 2025. Months before the Oscars, the November 13 release of Emilia Pérez on Netflix generated awards season buzz, as well as controversy and backlash.
Emilia Pérez is a bold candidate for the best film award
Emilia Pérez follows Rita de Saldaña, a defense lawyer in Mexico City looking to make a difference, who finds an unusual but lucrative opportunity to cartel boss Manitas Del Monte as he aims to fulfill his lifelong dream of transitioning into a woman. Emilia Pérez the soundtrack is the essential highlight of the film, as well as the heart and soul of the inspiring yet tragic narrative. Although Emilia Pérez Set in multiple locations, the film was shot primarily in studios in Paris, France.
Emilia Pérez generated initial Oscar buzz for Gascón’s titular character, who would become the first trans actress to be nominated for an Oscar. Saldaña is also one of the favorites for Best Supporting Actress and Selena Gomez’s original song, Mi Camino, is also a top contender for Best Original Song. There is also a strong possibility that it will be nominated and win the award for Best International Film.
Could Emilia Pérez really win the Oscar? What you’re up against
According to Variety, Emila Pérez is currently among the 3 films most likely to be nominated for Best Picture after anora and Conclaveplacing him in an exceptional position. Other nominated candidates include The Brutalist, Gladiator II, Evil, Dune: Part Two, Blitz, The room next doorand A real pain. Some distant Best Picture contenders include A complete stranger, Sing Sing, September 5th, Nosferatus, Inside Out 2, The piano lessonand Challengers. At this point, it would be shocking if Emilia Pérez It wasn’t nominated for at least a few Oscars, likely for Saldaña’s supporting role and Gomez’s original song.