Out of tune

The cartel musical that has outraged a country

Thomas Graham

A musical about a Mexican cartel boss who fakes their death, transitions and is reborn as a heroine searching for the forcibly disappeared is sweeping international film awards, but has prompted amusement and outrage in Mexico. Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard, has been largely praised by international critics, though some noted it risked trivialising extremely sensitive issues. It scooped the jury prize at Cannes before winning four Golden Globes last Sunday, including those for best musical or comedy and best non-English language film. Most people in Mexico were unaware of it until clips started circulating online of the American actor Selena Gomez, who plays Pérez’s wife, delivering bizarre sexual lines in stilted Mexican Spanish. Eugenio Derbez, a Mexican actor, described Gomez’s acting as “indefensible”, before apologising when his comments…

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Guardian Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, 17 January 2025

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