‘Emilia Pérez,’ With 13 Oscar Nominations, to Premiere in South Korea in March

Emilia Pérez received the most nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, with 13 nods, including Best Picture. It has confirmed its release in South Korea on March 12.

The film is a bold and provocative musical that tells the story of a gang boss who wants to be reborn as a woman, his unsuspecting wife, and the lawyer who helps him start a new life. Directed by Palme d’Or-winning filmmaker Jacques Audiard, the film stars transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, Hollywood star Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez. Saint Laurent Productions also backed the production.

Along with the announcement of the release date, the official trailer for Emilia Pérez was unveiled. It begins with protagonist Rita (played by Zoe Saldaña) meeting a mysterious woman, Emilia (played by Karla Sofía Gascón), whose appearance causes a sudden change in Rita’s expression. The trailer then flashes back to Rita’s past, revealing how she, as a lawyer, sought out a doctor to help Mexican gang boss Manitas del Monte undergo gender transition surgery. Scenes featuring the main characters, set to mesmerizing musical numbers, heighten anticipation for the film’s storyline. The trailer returns to the opening scene, where the two characters exchange a cryptic conversation: “Is it you?” “Bingo.” This exchange hints that Emilia is none other than the gang boss whom Rita once helped, leaving viewers intrigued about the reason for their reunion.

As the most talked-about film of the season, Emilia Pérez has garnered 13 nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. The film has also won 84 categories at various film festivals worldwide and has been nominated in 223 categories, receiving widespread acclaim for its artistic merit. Additionally, it has been selected as one of the best films of the year by major international media outlets such as Time, Sight & Sound, IndieWire, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, and Vanity Fair.