Jacques Audiard's daring musicalEmilia Perez has been chosen to represent France at the 97th Academy Awards in March 2025. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Karla Sofía Gascón, the film tells the story of a transgender drug trafficker seeking a new life. Awarded a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Emilia Perez won over the commission of the Centre national du cinéma (CNC) thanks to its original approach, combining music, humor and a first-rate international cast.
In addition to Emilia Perez, three other films were in the running to represent France at the 2025 Oscars. Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo), directed by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, was one of France's biggest box-office successes of the year, with over 8 million tickets sold. This adaptation ofAlexandre Dumas 's classic was notable for its visual performance and the role ofEdmond Dantès, played by Pierre Niney. Other contenders included Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light, a Cannes award-winning social chronicle, and Alain Guiraudie's Miséricorde, a rural thriller starring Catherine Frot and Félix Kysyl.
The official selection of films nominated in each Oscar category will be unveiled in January 2025 by the Academy of Motion Picture Awards. Until then, Emilia Perez will have to attract the attention of Hollywood voters through promotional campaigns and private screenings. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will be held in March 2025, a highly anticipated event in which France hopes to shine in the Best International Film category.
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