Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña get emotional as ‘Emilia Perez’ gets 9-Minute standing ovation at Cannes 2024

The 2024 Cannes Film Festival witnessed an emotional moment when the musical drama ‘Emilia Perez’ received a nine-minute standing ovation. Selena Gomez, who stars in the film, was moved to tears by the overwhelming response. Wearing a sleek black and white gown, Gomez walked the red carpet with pride for the film directed by Jacques Audiard, which also stars Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña.

On Saturday, the Spanish musical drama ‘Emilia Perez’ premiered at Cannes, captivating the audience. The applause lasted for nine minutes, causing both Gomez and Saldaña to become emotional. Audiard, the director, gave a brief speech in French and tipped his hat to the audience, who continued to cheer.

Gomez was visibly touched as her film received such high praise. Saldaña and co-star Édgar Ramírez shared a heartfelt hug, while the crowd loudly applauded Gascón's outstanding performance as a drug lord. The film's reception was a testament to the powerful performances and compelling storytelling. "Emilia Perez" is Audiard’s tenth film and his sixth in the main competition at Cannes. It features a stellar cast, including Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Édgar Ramírez, and Karla Sofía Gascón. The story centers around Gascón's character, a drug cartel leader who dreams of undergoing gender reassignment surgery. Saldaña plays Rita, an overqualified and discontented lawyer, while Gomez portrays the wife of the drug cartel leader who secretly supports her husband's dream of becoming a woman.

The film has been nominated for the Queer Palm Award, which recognizes movies with LGBTQ themes. Audiard, who won the Palme d’Or in 2015 for 'Dheepan,' continues to make a significant impact at Cannes.