A gripping new Netflix trailer starring Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez puts the American actresses at the center of a Spanish-language musical crime comedy. announced as a “bold fever dream.”
“Emilia Perez,” which recently received special awards at the Cannes Film Festival, introduces the concept of “halves” against a monotonous backdrop. Portraits of the characters reveal their half-identity before the name of the film emerges; then gunfire and bloodshed follow.
Film critics have praised the thriller directed by Jacques Audiard, which received a 11 minutes The film received a standing ovation at Cannes. It won a jury prize and a Best Actress award shared by the four main stars.
In the musical melodrama, Saldana plays Rita, a forgotten lawyer in Mexico who is hired by cartel leader Manitas to find the best doctor to treat his patients and allow them to live as their true selves. In search of a new identity (and a past life), the cartel leader fakes his death, undergoes gender reassignment surgery and takes on a new role as Emilia Perez, played by Spanish transgender actor. Karla Sofia Gascon.
The plot thickens years later, when the protagonist wishes to reunite with his family, including his ex-wife Jessi, played by Selena Gomez. Through a series of musical numbers, Perez is forced to confront the legacy of his past. The cast includes Mexican actress Adriana Paz as Epifania and Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez as Gustavo.
Netflix outbid its competitors for the Oscar candidate in position with $8 million after its debut at Cannes.
Although “Emilia Perez” centers on a Mexican story, most of the filming took place in a French studio at the request of Audiard, who said that filming in Mexico would have been “a challenge,” according to Agence France-Presse.
During a press conference, Saldana, who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, praised the Mexican reach of the film and revealed that the culture is “dear to [her] [heart]” after living in Los Angeles for more than 20 years, he said at a Cannes festival press conference.
“[Audiard] “It has a story that shows a number of things that can be found in Mexico and that need to be improved in other countries,” Saldana said. “But it celebrates the culture, which is so beautiful, so rich and so artistic.”
This is Gomez's first Spanish-language film. Before the Cannes premiere, revealed to Brut that his biggest obstacle was the “Spanish part,” stating that he practiced with his family, particularly his father, for over a year.
“I was very excited to go back to my culture and my life and when I was younger… I think that was beautiful,” she said.
The 32-year-old actress received two Emmy nominations for her role as Mabel Mora in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” where she was nominated for lead actress in a comedy series and for best comedy series as an executive producer.
“Emilia Perez” will begin playing in select theaters on November 1, and will then begin streaming on Netflix on November 13.
