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Why Is ‘Emilia Pérez’ Drawing Backlash Despite Its Oscar Nominations?

"Emilia Pérez," a critically acclaimed film, faces backlash in Mexico for oversimplifying sensitive issues like violence and disappearances. Critics argue it misrepresents transgender experiences and portrays violence in a crude manner. Despite praise from international figures, local viewers find it offensive and shallow.

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Why Is ‘Emilia Pérez’ Drawing Backlash Despite Its Oscar Nominations?

‘Emilia Pérez’, a ‘narco-musical’ by French director Jacques Audiard, premiered in Mexico with much expectation after its great success at Cannes and several Oscar nominations. It was fast to criticize the film for its superficial handling of sensitive topics such as violence, the transgender experience, and Mexico’s missing persons crisis.

This fictional Mexican drug-trafficker called Manitas del Monte turns out to be a ‘she’, seeking lost people of Mexico. This move was very resented and abhorrent towards the people since it appeared the movie glamourised violence. Such movies lacked good insights and the correct approach that respected the many atrocities, in addition to hundreds of thousands missing across Mexico in their fight with narcotic pedlars.

Dora Pancardo is a viewer who enjoyed the film but said, “It is so crude violence.” She added, “Selena Gomez spoke such bad Spanish,” speaking of unrealistic dialogue. Mexican film critic Gaby Meza spoke similarly, claiming that the movie was ‘exotic and bold’ but without depth. Critics also attacked the movie for its largely non-Mexican cast, composed of actors from different Spanish-speaking regions, contributing to an uneven portrayal of accents.

Artemisa Belmonte, whose family members disappeared during Mexico’s drug violence, started a petition against the film, calling it offensive and overly simplistic. She said, “You can’t talk about the subject as if it were something to make a musical about.” Belmonte explained that the kind of trauma she was talking about was deep-set and should, therefore, not be approached haphazardly.

Despite these criticisms, the film also has its own defenders. French director Jacques Audiard admitted such concerns, having approached the issue with caution: “If at any point of the film this seems too carefree, apologize.” Filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro and Issa López have indeed defended the film, praising an effort to give attention to Mexican issues with crimes and disappearances.

But Láurel Miranda, an activist in favor of transgender rights, labeled the movie as stereotypical about the transgender woman and raised several questions regarding the purpose of the film’s heroine. “Emilia Pérez is an all-powerful character in the movie. whereas in Mexico the scenario is totally contrary regarding transgender,” she said mentioning problems faced by the transgender community of the country that were nowhere visible in the film.

Overall, even though “Emilia Pérez” has received international applause, it also stirred heated debates on its approach to Mexican social issues, handling of transgender characterizations, and whether it fully pays respect to the gravity of the subjects being touched.

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