Trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón makes history in this wild crime musical co-starring Selena Gomez
Anora, from Tangerine filmmaker Sean Baker, but one of the annual event’s biggest winners was a film called Emilia Perez, a musical crime comedy about a trans cartel leader co-starring Selena Gomez.Yup, you read that right: A musical crime comedy about a trans cartel leader co-starring Selena Gomez.
And who says there are no original ideas at the movies anymore?!?Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.From French filmmaker Jacques Audiard (The Sisters Brothers, A Prophet), it’s the story of Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón), a feared cartel boss who turns to American lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña) for help undergoing gender-affirming surgery so she can leave the crime world behind and reunite with her family, including her estranged wife Jessi (Gomez).There’s even a brief teaser trailer to show you a bit of what’s in store:Now, if Emilia Perez sounds wild, that’s because it is!
For as heavy as the subject matter may seem, the film operates with a uniquely madcap tone, where even the most serious of moments can burst into a vibrant song-and-dance number (including, apparently, a musical moment all about vaginoplasty).Though that no doubt will make it a divisive watch, it won over a number of critics and audiences at the festival, and impressed the Cannes jury—which included Greta Gerwig and Lily Gladstone, among others—so much that they honored it with two major awards, including the Jury Prize.Welcome to your weekend streaming recommendations, a.k.a.
the Weekend Watch, a handy guide to the queerest film and TV content that’s just a click away!But it’s Emilia Perez‘s other major festival prize where the film truly made history.
