‘Emilia Pérez,’ a film that has ignited fiery debates across social media and film circles, stands as a glaring example of cinema that not only misrepresents its characters but also manages to deeply offend cultural and gender identities.

Unpacking the layers of controversy surrounding the film and focusing on its transphobic undertones and its problematic portrayal of Mexican culture needs to be addressed — especially as the weakest Oscar nominated film (with 13 nods).

Transphobia in Characterization

Many viewers expressed disappointment that the film has become prominent in transgender representation compared to lesser-known projects like ‘I Saw the TV Glow,’ directed by a transgender filmmaker.

One user on X lamented, "While I want to celebrate the first trans woman nominated for Best Actress, it's disheartening it's for 'Emilia Perez'... trans women deserve so much better."

Another commented, "It's unfortunate that 'Emilia Perez,' a film that falls so short, represents a trans lead at such a crucial time. It's a pity Karla Gascón's landmark nomination comes with a script that indulges in cisnormative views."

Several LGBTQ critics, including those who are transgender, have criticized the film and its director for relying on outdated and stereotypical portrayals of transgender individuals.

Amelia Hansford from PinkNews criticized the movie as "satirical" and "harmful," arguing that it misrepresents transitioning as a form of moral redemption from a past life, which distorts the true nature of gender transition.

GLAAD condemned the movie as a "profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman," accusing it of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Meanwhile, Fran Tirado from Them described the film as "torturous" and reflective of a cisgender perspective on transgender experiences.

Harron Walker of The Cut expected more from a filmmaker who previously showed sensitivity in portraying lives unlike his own, suggesting a need for a more educated and authentic depiction of transitioning.

Moreover, the narrative arc of Emilia is fraught with stereotypes and negative tropes that are all too common in the portrayal of transgender individuals in media. Emilia is depicted through a lens of tragedy and victimhood, a move that reinforces harmful stereotypes about the transgender community. Instead of showcasing the richness and diversity of transgender lives, the film opts for a sensationalist view that focuses on suffering and adversity, ignoring the resilience and joy that also characterize many transgender experiences.

Cultural Insensitivity and Stereotypes

‘Emilia Pérez’ does not fare better in its depiction of Mexican culture. The film is riddled with clichés and stereotypes that reduce a rich and diverse culture to mere caricatures. From the mariachi bands that seem to appear in every scene set in Mexico to the overly dramatized use of Spanish that peppers the dialogue (and by non-fluent speakers), the film opts for an exoticized version of Mexican culture that feels disingenuous and insulting.

The setting of Mexico in the film is depicted as perpetually violent and chaotic, a narrow and misleading portrayal that ignores the country's vast cultural wealth and the complexity of its social dynamics. This not only misinforms viewers but also perpetuates a harmful narrative that can influence perceptions and reinforce biases.

This is a message to @TheAcademy. pic.twitter.com/lbRHNsJ9a5
— Héctor Guillén (@hectorcarlosg) January 6, 2025

Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén tagged the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after the film’s Golden Globes success and published a poster saying: "Mexico hates Emilia Pérez/ "Racist Euro Centrist Mockery"/ Almost 500K dead and France decides to do a musical.”

Guillén said the decision to film the vast majority of the movie in studios outside Paris, as well as the way the story treats a painful national topic, has upset many in his social network.

"There's a drug war, nearly 500,000 deaths [since 2006] and 100,000 missing in the country," Guillén says, citing recent Mexican government figures."We are still immersed in the violence in some areas. You are taking one of the most difficult topics in the country, but it's not only any film, it's an opera. It's a musical. So for us and many activists, it's like you are playing with one of the biggest wars in the country since the Revolution [in the early 20th Century]. Part of the plot is about searching mothers of the disappeared [searching for their children]: one of the most vulnerable groups in Mexico. And there were zero words in the four Golden Globe acceptance speeches to the victims."

*The parents of 43 missing student teachers outside Mexico's National Palace last year (Getty Images).*

French director Jacques Audiard commented on the decision to shoot in Paris rather than Mexico: "I had the idea of making an opera of Emilia Pérez and then I got a bit scared, I felt like I needed to inject some realism into it. So I went to Mexico, and we scouted there during the casting process as well, maybe two, three times and something wasn't working. And I realised that the images I had in my mind of what [the film] would look like just didn't match the reality of the streets of Mexico. It was just too pedestrian, too real. I had a much more stylised vision in my mind. So that's when we brought it to Paris and reinjected the DNA of an opera within it."

Casting And Inauthenticity

The casting also raises major questions about authenticity. Zoe Saldaña, who secured a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, has Dominican roots but was born in the United States. Karla Sofía Gascón hails from a suburb of Madrid, Spain, though her acting career has been largely in Mexican television. Selena Gomez, is an American with Mexican heritage. Gomez, who grew up speaking Spanish but lost her fluency, had to relearn the language for her role, in which many Mexican audience goers and industry reps have said Gomez struggles with pronunciation. Her character, Jessi, was adapted to portray a Mexican-American rather than solely Mexican background. Similarly, Saldaña’s character, Rita, a lawyer, was reimagined to better represent her Dominican background instead of a Mexican one.

Audiard doesn’t speak Spanish and refused to research Mexican culture… and it shows. The casting director (and Jacques Audiard) decided not to cast Mexican actors in roles… because Mexico has no good actors?

Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez commented that Gomez's Spanish pronunciation was "indefensible" leading to Selena Gomez to respond; "I'm sorry, I did the best I could with the time I was given.”

Industry Responsibility and Audience Impact

The film industry has a potent role in shaping ideas and attitudes through the stories it chooses to tell and how it chooses to tell them. When films like ‘Emilia Pérez’ opt to engage with themes involving marginalized communities, the responsibility to do so respectfully and accurately is paramount. Unfortunately, this film falls short, offering instead a narrative that can contribute to bigotry and misunderstanding.

Audiences deserve better. They deserve films that elevate understanding and promote inclusivity, not those that perpetuate ignorance and bias. The backlash against ‘Emilia Pérez’ is a reminder of the power of cinema as a cultural artifact and the necessity for filmmakers to approach their craft with a sensitivity to the implications of their creative choices.

13 Oscar Nominations? The Academy Should Be Ashamed

‘Emilia Pérez’ serves as a case study in what not to do when creating a film that involves complex identities and cultures. The controversy surrounding the film is a testament to the growing awareness and intolerance for media that fails to respect the dignity of all people and cultures.

Let the criticisms of ‘Emilia Pérez’ be a lesson to filmmakers and studios alike on the importance of authenticity, respect, and sensitivity in storytelling.

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