Spoilers ahead for Emilia Pérez.
Movie musical are a tried and true genre, one that I personally have a love for. Some musicals have won Best Picture, and every one in a while we get a film project that pushes outside of what the genre is known for. Case in point: Selena Gomez‘s new movie Emilia Pérez. It’s a bold new take on the movie musical, but as a queer person there were moments that made me feel conflicted.
Emilia Pérez is a new film from Jacques Audiard that’s expected to release shortly for those with a Netflix subscription, and has a wild concept. It’s a musical and a crime drama put together, with bloody consequences and kinetic visuals. But at the enter is a cartel leader and transgender woman, the titular role played by Karla Sofía Gascón. I had the chance to see an early screening at the Hamptons International Film Festival, and in some of the ways the movie approached her story made me uncomfortable, while in other ways I was deeply moved.
My concerns about Emilia’s story started during a musical number early in the film, where a series of nurses and doctors sing about the various procedures Emilia will undergo during her transition. Because the number is so over the top and heightened, I almost felt like they were mocking this process at points. At least for me personally.
Admittedly this could just be my triggers, or the lyrics being lost in translation from Spanish to English. We’ve all seen those memes about how direct lyrical translations often leave something to be desired with the feel of songs sung in Spanish.
The other tinge of discomfort I had various times during Emilia Pérez is because of the way the protagonist deceived her family. In order to transition safely and leave her life of crime, Emilia faked her own death, with even her wife (Selena Gomez) and children thinking that “Manitas” died. And in some ways he did.
But after a multiyear time jump, Emilia decides she misses her children too much. So she poses as their Aunt, lying to both her kids and her wife Jessi. This lie really helped to build tension throughout the movie, but I was uncomfortable with the story’s macguffin being a trans person who is deceiving those around her. This is a negative narrative that’s plagued the community for years, so seeing it come up in a major movie gave me pause. Although to be fair, the movie is based off a novel titled Écoute, so it’s ultimately an adaptation.
All that being said, there were some beautiful moments in Emilia’s story through the film, especially related to her finding peace and power in her womanhood. And her finding acceptance from other women in the film is beautiful to watch. But I’m curious to see what other LBGTQ+ audiences think when Emilia Pérez get released.
Emilia Pérez will arrive on Netflix November 13th after a theatrical run. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
