At Cannes Film Festival, movies usually get either a standing ovation or loud boos, or sometimes both. And, this year was no exception. Thankfully, the new Mad Max movie, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, was a big hit at the festival in France this week!
The crowd loved it, applauding and cheering for seven minutes straight after the screening. This is especially impressive at Cannes, where audiences are known to be very critical.
However, for Selena Gomez, the applause wasn’t just loud – it lasted a staggering 12 minutes. The premiere of Emilia Perez, a Spanish-language musical crime comedy, amazed the festival, with lots of hooting, whistling, and cheering.
Selena Gomez Steals Spotlight at Cannes Film Festival Premiere
Standing ovations at the Cannes Film Festival are highly sought after, and Emilia Pérez became a hot topic at the festival this year for getting one. The Spanish-language musical drama, starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and newcomer Karla Sofía Gascón, received a whopping twelve-minute standing ovation – the longest of the festival so far. This is a big deal for director Jacques Audiard, who’s a regular at Cannes and has even won the top prize, the Palme d’Or, before.
The 31-year-old Gomez even got emotional during the applause, wiping away tears from the crowd’s cheers and whistles. Audiard and other stars like Saldaña and Édgar Ramírez seemed touched, too, with hugs and hat-waving all around. Watch Gomez’s reaction below:
Selena Gomez receives 12-minute standing ovation at #Cannes2024 following the ‘Emilia Perez’ premiere.
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) May 18, 2024
The movie tells a unique story. Gascón plays a powerful drug cartel leader who decides to undergo gender-affirming surgery. Saldaña is a lawyer who gets pulled into this unusual case, helping him become the woman he’s always wanted to be. Saldaña plays the cartel leader’s wife, who has no idea about her husband’s secret plans.
Critics praise Selena Gomez in Emilia Perez
Leaving her Disney days behind, Selena Gomez’s new movie Emilia Perez has critics raving about her performance. The movie’s director, Jacques Audiard, known for making tough, realistic films, pushed Gomez to her limits – and it was totally worth it! Critics applauded her performance as amazing, saying she perfectly captures the spirit of her character. The Hollywood Reporter‘s David Rooney said:
Gomez has a less central role but she plays both the hard edges and the vulnerability of a woman whose life has been uprooted twice and who needs to find her own happiness, even if it sets her on a dangerous path.
Emilia Perez is set to release on 28 August 2024.
Frequently asked questions
How did Emilia Perez’s premiere reception compare to other films at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival?
Emilia Perez received a twelve-minute standing ovation, the longest of the festival, surpassing the seven-minute ovation given to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The audience reportedly responded with hooting, whistling, and cheering following the premiere of the Spanish-language musical crime comedy directed by Jacques Audiard.
What is Emilia Perez about, and who stars in it?
Emilia Perez follows a powerful drug cartel leader, played by Karla Sofia Gascon, who undergoes gender-affirming surgery. Zoe Saldana co-stars as a lawyer drawn into the case who also plays the cartel leader’s wife, unaware of her husband’s secret plans, alongside Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramirez under director Jacques Audiard.
How was Selena Gomez’s performance in Emilia Perez received by critics?
Critics praised Gomez’s performance as a departure from her Disney career, with the Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney noting she conveyed both the hard edges and vulnerability of a woman whose life had been uprooted twice. The film was reportedly scheduled for release on August 28, 2024.
