Published above is our first image of Jacques Audiard's druggy trans-musical “Emilia Perez.” The still also comes with a synopsis "courtesy of Jacques Audiard" (via Premiere):
"Overqualified and overexploited, Rita uses her talents as a lawyer to serve a large firm more inclined to save criminal scum than to serve justice. However, an unexpected way out opens up for her: helping a cartel leader, nicknamed Manitas, to retire from business and disappear forever. Manitas has a plan that he has been secretly refining for years : to finally become the woman he always dreamed of being."
Yes, Audiard has directed a movie musical, in Spanish, about a trans-Mexican druglord, or something like that. The main character is inspired by one chapter of french author Boris Razon's novel "Écoute" (“Listen”) and concerns a drug kingpin who disappears, after changing his identity, by undergoing a male-to-female surgical transition.
“Emilia Perez” was not affected by this summer’s actors strike, shooting went on and wrapped in July. The film stars Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña and Edgar Ramirez.
Audiard co-wrote the movie with his go-to writing partner Thomas Bidegain. French composer Clément Ducol is doing the score and famous French singer Camille, wrote all of the songs (with the help of a Mexican translator).
French music supervisor Pierre-Marie Dru, who worked on “Annette”, among many other projects, and French choreographer Philippe Jamet, are part of this project which is a cinch to premiere at next year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Audiard, one of the most celebrated French filmmakers of the 21st Century, has directed notable works such as “A Prophet”, “The Beat That My Heart Skipped,” “Rust and Bone,” “Dheepan” and “The Sisters Brothers.”