Cannes Fest: First Hit With Trans Gangster Musical ‘Emilia Perez’
The 10th film from French auteur Jacques Audiard also stars Édgar Ramírez and Karla Sofía Gascón
After Audiard took the mic to speak in French, the standing ovation resumed for another minute or so.
The 10th film from the French auteur, which is a musical crime melodrama, is his sixth film in competition.
It stars Zoe Saldaña as a frustrated lawyer, Selena Gomez as a drug lord’s wife, Édgar Ramírez as a dangerous love interest and Karla Sofía Gascón as the cartel kingpin who longs to escape a life of crime and become the woman he’s always dreamed of becoming.
Fans of the pop star will also be stoked to learn that Selena Gomez sings several songs in the musical film, as does Saldaña, who also has a memorable solo dance break during a fundraiser.
His other credits include Paris, 13th District, The Sisters Brothers, Rust and Bone, A Prophet, Read My Lips, A Self-Made Hero and See How They Fall.
Buoyed by the star power of his cast, Emilia Perez was among the more hotly anticipated titles of the weekend schedule.
It is one of three films in the competition that is produced by the upstart Saint Laurent Productions, a film division of the luxury fashion house.
Creative director Anthony Vaccarello produced Emilia Perez and shepherded the film’s costumes. Other producers on the film include Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux and Valerie Schermann. Vaccarello attended Saturday night’s premiere with longtime house ambassador Charlotte Gainsbourg.
