The Cannes Film Festival 2024 brought some amazing premieres to the screen, putting into focus the talent of many on and off-screen artists. One of the many films premiered this year was ‘Emilia Pérez’ starring Selena Gomez. The film was received exceptionally well during the festival and also received a nine-minute standing ovation on Saturday.
Selena Gomez, who plays the character of Jessi in the musical crime drama, was seen wiping away tears while the audience applauded her performance in the film. Here’s what the Cannes Film Festival this year held for Gomez and why she got so emotional.
Selena Gomez Gets Teary-Eyed For The Heavy Applause For Her Film
Selena Gomez was deeply moved when her latest film ‘Emilia Pérez’ received the longest outstanding ovation of 9 minutes at the Cannes Film Festival this year. As the audience at France’s Grand Lumiére Theatre at the Palais showered her film with applause, Gomez was seen wiping her tears of joy.
Gomez was not alone in her emotional moment; her co-stars Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón also joined her and shed tears during the heartfelt reception. Gomez was seen hugging Gascón, who was visibly overwhelmed with the heavy appreciation for the film.
Selena Gomez sendo aplaudida de pé em Cannes por sua atuação no filme "Emilia Perez".
— Séries Brasil (@SeriesBrasil) May 18, 2024
Com o total de 9 minutos de aplausos, é o longa mais ovacionado de Cannes até agora. pic.twitter.com/wNggbbhBXi
The praise for the film did not just stop at the longest-standing ovation. Even the director’s speech was a hit as the audience’s applause continued for a full minute after director Jacques Audiard began his speech in French.
Gomez was seen walking the red carpet in a striking black Saint Laurent gown with a white off-the-shoulder neckline, paired with black platform Santoni heels and Bulgari jewelry. To accessorize her look, she also adorned herself with a diamond choker, rings, and earrings.
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What Is ‘Emilia Pérez’ About?
Selena Gomez’s latest film ‘Emilia Pérez‘ portrays her as the wife and mother of two children of a drug lord. Being a musical, the film features Selena performing several songs for the soundtrack and speaking Spanish in the film, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Though Gomez has assumed a significantly important role in the film, it’s Karla Sofía Gascón who takes center stage in the story. Gascón has played the role of a gangster seeking gender confirmation surgery with the help of an undervalued lawyer, played by Saldaña. It’s these two characters who add an intricate layer to the film’s narrative as it moves forward.
As per the official Cannes synopsis of the film’s plot, “Overqualified and undervalued, Rita is a lawyer at a large firm that prioritizes getting criminals off the hook over justice. One day, cartel leader Manitas hires her to help him withdraw from his criminal enterprise and fulfill his long-cherished dream of becoming the woman he has always wanted to be.”
Speaking about her role, Gomez said she looks forward to tackling challenging acting roles, and would in future prefer roles she has to earn rather than those handed to her. “I love being able to take roles that I have to fight for, not the ones that are being handed to me. I’m going for the stuff that really, really inspires me,” she said during the festival.
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