Two Belgian Co-Productions Win Several Golden Globe Awards
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Loading... - Arturo Ortiz
- 08 Jan 2025
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The film Emilia Pérez celebrated a remarkable evening at the Golden Globe Awards, taking home four prestigious awards, including Best Musical or Comedy and Best Non-English Language Film. This Spanish-language musical is a co-production with the Belgian company Les Films du Fleuve, founded by renowned filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. The film's choreography was crafted by Brussels-based choreographer Damien Jalet, who played a crucial role in bringing the story to life through movement.
Directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez tells the compelling story of a transgender Mexican cartel boss, utilizing music as a central storytelling device. Jalet, who has gained international acclaim for his unique style that blends dance with fashion, visual art, and theatre, was initially uncertain about how dance would fit into the film. "I read the script—there was no real musical moment where they could dance," he explained. "We had to invent it and find a dance language that would be right for this film, this reality, this context of violence."
Drawing inspiration from the vibrant street life in Mexico, Jalet infused the film with authentic movement reflective of the local culture. He noted, "In Mexico, you have a lot of street performers at traffic lights, and they have, like, 50 seconds to do their act and then to collect the money. So it’s entertaining, it’s uplifting. But underneath, there’s a real survivor energy and a real sense of urgency. That’s something that I really wanted to inject in the film."
In the Best Musical or Comedy category, Emilia Pérez triumphed over strong contenders such as A Real Pain, Anora, Challengers, The Substance, and Wicked. In the Best Non-English Language Film category, it competed against films like All We Imagine as Light, I'm Still Here, The Girl With The Needle, The Seed of The Sacred Fig, and Vermiglio.
The film received a total of ten Golden Globe nominations, and Audiard expressed his hope that Emilia Pérez could serve as "a beacon of light" and "a big sister" during challenging times as he accepted the award.
Additionally, the film won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "El Mal," composed by Clement Ducol and Camille, and Zoe Saldana took home the award for Best Supporting Actress. Saldana expressed her gratitude, stating, "Thank you to the Golden Globes for honoring the women of Emilia Pérez." Other notable nominees included actress and singer Selena Gomez and transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, who were nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, respectively, but did not win.
Earlier this year, the female cast of Emilia Pérez also won the award for Best Female Performance at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film was awarded the Jury Prize, further solidifying its critical acclaim and success on the international stage.
