Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña Star in ‘Emilia Perez’: A Powerful Odyssey

Netflix has released the highly anticipated trailer for its upcoming musical drama “Emilia Perez,” starring Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez. The film, directed by Jacques Audiard, has already generated buzz and won multiple awards at the Cannes Film Festival, positioning it as one of the streaming giant’s big Oscar contenders this fall.

“Emilia Perez” tells the story of four remarkable women in Mexico, each on their own journey to find happiness. The plot centers on Rita (Zoe Saldaña), a lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, who finds herself entangled with the fearsome cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) as she agrees to help fake her death. This allows Emilia to undergo gender reassignment surgery and live authentically as her true self. The supporting cast includes Adriana Paz and Edgar Ramírez.

The official Netflix synopsis describes the film as “an odyssey” and highlights the powerful themes explored in the story:

“This odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness. The fearsome cartel leader Emilia enlists Rita, an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can finally live authentically as her true self.”

“Emilia Perez” has been met with critical acclaim and rave reviews. Variety film critic Peter Debruge described the film as “an exhilarating Spanish-language (half-sung) portrait of a former cartel boss’s life-changing transformation.” He further added that the film “doesn’t strictly adhere to the codes set by GLAAD and other LGBT advocates” but still emerges as a “powerful, unfiltered portrait of someone who challenges several stereotypes at once.”

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received an 11-minute standing ovation and won several awards, including the Jury Prize, Best Actress for Saldaña, Gomez, Gascón, and Paz, and the Cannes Soundtrack Award.

“Emilia Perez” will first open in select theaters on November 1 before becoming available for streaming on Netflix starting November 13. The film promises to be a captivating and unique addition to Netflix’s lineup, combining song, dance, and bold visuals to showcase the powerful stories of its characters.