Awards season has been a winning streak for Emilia Pérez, with the film sweeping up awards left and right. Yet, while its presence at these prestigious ceremonies painted one picture, the sentiment beyond the glitz was a vastly different story. Zoe Saldaña’s long-overdue Oscar win was well-earned, but many questioned if this was the right film for it.
Meanwhile, Brazil made its stance loud and clear when I’m Still Here took home Best Feature, as the whole country booed Emilia Pérez showing its place!
Emilia Pérez got booed by Brazil at the Oscars!
Going into the Oscars with 13 nominations, Emilia Pérez was hyped as a major contender, even eyeing Best Picture gold. But the film’s momentum had already taken a hit throughout the awards season, especially after old social media posts from lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón resurfaced, leading to controversy.
While Gascón skipped several major ceremonies, she was very much present at the Oscars, making history as the first openly trans actor nominated in a leading role.
Brazil’s I’m Still Here took home Best International Feature, beating the Netflix film, sparking huge celebrations and some not-so-subtle booing directed at Emilia Pérez. Here is what fans are saying,
booing emilia perez and cheering for flow. brazil you stay iconic. https://t.co/S04fJsKLEw
— Shaggy loves bells hells (aggressive) (@IdkButYourDope) March 3, 2025
oh they really hate that Emilia movie
— 𝑺𝑼𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑶𝑽𝑨 𐚁 (@HIVECOVEN) March 3, 2025
the Emilia Perez hate is strong 😭
— Stew (@stewroidss) March 3, 2025
I love the part where they boo EP pic.twitter.com/eza7CTCzyx
— Mr Cristian (@CristianCartoo2) March 3, 2025
booing emília perez, cheering for flow and celebration ahead of time pretty much sums up what is like to be brazilian pic.twitter.com/D9gPakv9TC
— sara (@judgyville) March 3, 2025
In the end, Emilia Pérez couldn’t shake the weight of its awards season scandals, and what once seemed like a sweeping success turned into a night of mixed emotions. After Zoe Saldaña‘s win, she even shared an apology, she said, (via Variety)
First of all, I’m very, very sorry that many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We spoke from a place of love, I don’t share your opinion. For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women.
The night ended with the musical about a Mexican cartel boss walking away with just two wins, Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song.
Why Emilia Pérez feels so tone-deaf to many Mexicans?
Netflix’s Emilia Pérez has been one of the most talked-about films of the year, earning 13 Oscar nominations and widespread acclaim. However, while Hollywood celebrates its bold storytelling, many Mexicans see it as a tone-deaf and exploitative take on one of the country’s most painful realities.
Directed by Jacques Audiard, the film follows a Mexican drug cartel leader who undergoes gender-affirming surgery, reinvents herself as an activist, and seeks redemption. But the way it handles Mexico’s drug crisis, particularly the mass disappearances linked to organized crime, has left a sour taste for many.
For decades, Mexico has faced the devastating toll of cartel violence, with over 90,000 disappearances and 460,000 homicides since 2006. Yet, Emilia Pérez treats this grim reality as little more than a dramatic setting for its redemption arc.
Emilia, played by Karla Sofía Gascón, is initially a feared drug lord responsible for much of the violence plaguing Mexico. But after her transition, she suddenly shifts gears, founding a nonprofit to help grieving families locate the disappeared. The film asks audiences to sympathize with Emilia’s journey, conveniently brushing aside the fact that she spent most of her life causing the very pain she now seeks to heal.
Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén summed it up bluntly in a viral post, “Almost 500K dead and France decides to do a musical.”The climax, where Emilia is immortalized as a saint-like figure, only adds to the controversy. Many see it as an attempt to atone for her past crimes in a way that feels unearned and, frankly, offensive.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
