Meet the French Director Behind the Empowering ‘Emilia Perez’ – Unleashing Women Power in Mexico!

TORONTO —

Thank you for tuning in to our last special issue of the Envelope newsletter from the 2024 Toronto International Festival. We appreciate you joining The Times’ entertainment authorities for interviews, viewpoints, and insights from one of the traditional starting points of the Oscar race. We look forward to seeing you again in L.A. — don’t forget to register here to receive more of The Envelope in your inbox.

Today’s most talked about premieres

For nearly two decades, since the release of “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox” story, it has been obvious that the musical biopic genre desperately needs a refresh. However, Hollywood continues to produce oversimplified films about complex artists whose lives can’t be neatly packaged into a three-act format.

Introducing “Better Man”, a movie about the audacious British pop star Robbie Williams, directed by Michael Gracey of “The Greatest Showman”. Williams’ life story follows many of the familiar tropes: He gained popularity as the youngest member of the ’90s boy band Take That, fell into drug and alcohol addiction, left the band, and established a successful solo career. What sets this film apart from numerous formulaic biopics is that Williams is portrayed not by a young actor striving for an Oscar nomination, but by a CGI monkey. Yes, you read that correctly. Is the monkey symbolic of something? Is it all a big joke? Will this movie make any sense? I have no idea, but I’m eager to find out. —Meredith Blake

Other noteworthy premieres on Monday include “Disclaimer,” a series penned and directed by Alfonso Cuarón which stars Cate Blanchett as a journalist with a mysterious past, and “I’m Still Here,” a historical drama from Walter Salles, set during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s. Find the complete Monday schedule here.

MORE TO READ: Anderson .Paak pulled some major strings to make ‘K-Pops’ a hit: ‘I owe a lot of people’

A potential awards contender to keep an eye on

“William Tell” (International Feature, Switzerland)

If Switzerland aspires to win an Oscar, “William Tell” presents a compelling argument. The Swiss fight for independence against the Austrian Hapsburgs is mythically portrayed in director Nick Hamm’s classic take on the legendary folk hero. With Claes Bang leading the charge, this 14th-century film evokes the memory of early 2000s swashbuckling action-adventure movies, competing with the likes of “Gladiator” and “The Pirates of the Caribbean”, which themselves were a tribute to Hollywood’s golden age heroes. Throw in a touch of the war tactics seen in the internet’s favorite battle scene in “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and “William Tell” has all the makings of a genuine crowd-pleaser.

After the film’s opening scene reminds us why Tell is famous (he’s the guy who shot an apple off someone’s head with a bow and arrow), we flash back to just a few days earlier in what could be described as Switzerland’s most pivotal record-scratch, freeze-frame moment.

The story then follows a Robin Hood-like journey from local hero to legendary figure as the former soldier for the Holy Roman Empire gathers a ragtag team of men and women who’ve been wronged by the villainy of Connor Swindells and Austrian Hapsburg ruler Ben Kingsley, who delivers a scene-stealing performance with a golden eye patch.

We eventually return to the iconic apple-on-the-head moment, though Hamm directs it with all the tension of a “Saw” trap. As Tell is forced to aim his bow at his son, he recalls the first time he drew an arrow: the moment he killed a fellow Holy Roman Empire soldier in the Crusades, saving the Muslim boy and his mother who would eventually become his family. Now, years later, he’s faced with another difficult decision. But we all know how this story ends. Except we’re only halfway through the film!

Hamm’s action sequences match the grand scale of his story, and even better, they’re enhanced by a robust and moving ensemble of actors, including Goldshifteh Farahani, Rafe Spall and Jonah Hauer King. Given the spectacular delights the film has to offer, maybe it was too much to ask for a scene set to the “William Tell Overture.” Perhaps Hamm has crafted a tale so grand that including the melody would be superfluous. —David Viramontes

Question & Answer of the day

One of the most thrilling and unique films of the year, “Emilia Perez,” is screening at TIFF on Monday night. Directed by Jacques Audiard, the French master known for genre-blending films such as “A Prophet,” “Rust and Bone” and “The Sisters Brothers,” the film is a dramatic crime saga about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to womanhood. And it’s also a musical. The film stars Karla Sofía Gascón in the title role and features Edgar Ramirez, Adriana Paz, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. When the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, the jury jointly awarded Gascón, Paz, Saldana and Gomez with the best actress prize. On Sunday, the film’s cast joined us at the L.A. Times studio for a chat. —Mark Olsen

WATCH: Our full interview with the cast of ‘Emilia Perez’

Selena, you recently shared a video of yourself crying tears of joy when you found out you had been cast in the movie. Why was this role so significant to you even before filming started?

Selena Gomez: There are several reasons. First and foremost, I’m a big fan of Jacques. I had only recently seen his films and I was captivated by the script. From there, it was simply a no-brainer. But I wanted this role so badly, I just knew it was going to be special. I certainly didn’t anticipate all the wonderful things that happened, but we worked really hard. We took our cues from Karla and it was incredible.

Edgar, I find when I try to explain the plot to people, it’s difficult to put into words. What was your initial reaction to the story when you first read it?

Edgar Ramirez: That’s true, it’s not an easy movie to simply say, “This movie’s about this.” And I share Selena’s sentiments about Jacques. I’m a huge fan of Jacques. He’s one of the world’s best directors, who always displays a deep curiosity and empathy towards his characters and subjects. He takes risks, delving into worlds far removed from his own, but in a very respectful and compassionate way. We’re all Latin American. I mean, this is a full Latin cast. And this is a very, very Latin American story directed by a French man, who actually did it with the utmost compassion. And what I felt reading the script, to answer your question directly, is that he did not, and never has in his entire filmography, shy away from confronting contradiction. These characters are all filled with contradictions.

The characters’ polarities change constantly, all of them exhibiting very violent, questionable traits and also very tender, relatable traits. And that’s essentially human complexity. Because human nature is complicated, human nature has multiple layers. And I think that’s why the movie’s so interesting. I’m so lucky that I was able to contribute to the portrayal of the lives of these four interesting women, because it’s a story of Latin America expressed through the lives of four women who are trying to find their authenticity, reclaim their identity, their agency, their independence and their freedom. I think this is ultimately a movie about freedom. Freedom from society, freedom from yourself, freedom from your burdens, from your sins, from your sense of guilt and the possibility of change and the possibility of having second chances, of starting fresh.

Adriana, you have a very successful career in Mexico. Is it significant to you that this movie is the one introducing you to a broader international audience?

Adriana Paz: Of course. Here we are in Toronto; this is my second time, but this movie is huge. And I also admire Jacques Audiard. And I feel that when you watch Jacques Audiard movies, they are all distinct but they share something in particular for me, and I think you’re going to agree. It’s love. Love and commitment. Not to society, but to oneself. And that’s what makes his movies so tender and so important.

Jacques Audiard, who’s eccentric in the best way because he’s never attached to his own ideas and he’s always open. And that’s challenging. He was like, “OK, we’re going to do this scene this way.” And then the next day he is like, “No, that is not working. … I have been watching Selena and Zoe and Karla and let’s try something else.” That’s amazing because that is playing itself. And I think that brings the movie this vitality and its creativity.

Zoe, among many other things, the movie is a musical, and many people have noted that it really showcases your range of talents, from singing and dancing to delivering a dramatic performance. Was that something that attracted you right from the beginning?

Zoe Saldana Yes, it did. But not in the sense of, “Oh, I can do those things.” I danced throughout my entire childhood. I sing in the shower, but I’ve never really pursued it professionally. I mean, I did a couple of songs in the “My Little Pony” movie and then “The Book of Life,” but never really pursued this as a career. And Jacques really offered me this entire package that was so challenging, so enticing, and he made me feel welcomed to come and play. So it wasn’t something that I just felt I’m throwing myself into this unknown and I hope I don’t fail because that would be scary. No, no, no, he wanted you to bring all your nuances, your interpretation of your character and remain open so that he can mold you like clay. And that’s what I did. And I think that my background as a dancer gave me permission, gave me access to be able to do that for him. It was a reconnection that I never thought I was ever going to have. It’s a part of my craft that I’ve yearned to reconnect with and he gave me that, in the form of [the character] Rita. So I’m really grateful.

And at the end of the day, the core of all of this is the desire to be free from the conventional molds that she has been confined to. And the fact that Jacques, as a man, carried it with so much [sensitivity], but also boldness. And it was amazing. It really felt like, “OK, I can be my most authentic self as Rita and know that he’s going to capture it.” He’s just going to chip away and unearth whatever sculpture he’s looking for in all of us.

Karla, in addition to being a story about a cartel and a musical, the film also provides a nuanced depiction of the trans experience. Was that an important aspect of the movie to you? What did that mean to you?

Karla Sofía Gascón: To me it signifies progress for a minority of people who have been marginalized, who have been dismissed by society. And I recently had the chance to say this in another interview: I feel like the Joker was, in the movie, someone who had been bullied and ostracized and rejected and then he has an opportunity to change things for the better. But unlike what the Joker does, which is end up destroying everything, I feel that thanks to the character of Emilia and thanks to what has been happening to me recently, what we can do is leave a message to people where we say that real change is possible, that a different world is possible. A different world in which things can be different and in which people don’t need to be negatively influenced by society. So the overall message is, yes, we can.

Inside the L.A. Times Studio

CHECK OUT MORE: Selena Gomez, Jude Law, Sydney Sweeney and more drop by the L.A. Times Studio at TIFF

WATCH: Jude Law, Jurnee Smollett and more discuss ‘The Order’

WATCH: Mikey Madison and Sean Baker chat about stunts and the theater experience with ‘Anora’

WATCH: Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander talk about emotional connections in ‘The Assessment’

WATCH: Which ‘SNL’ era is the best? The team behind ‘Saturday Night’ stir up drama

WATCH: Sydney Sweeney and Ana De Armas discuss ‘Eden,’ a darker than usual Ron Howard film