Despite its many controversies,Emilia Pérezis guaranteed to win in one Oscar category, all thanks to a decades-long trend that, interestingly enough, will also end. The 2025Oscarshave been all about surprises – both good and bad – since its nominees were announced in January 2025. This year’s ceremony has been plagued by controversies since last year, with one movie, in particular, receiving a lot of backlash. Said movie is the musical crime movieEmilia Pérez, written and directed by Jacques Audiard and loosely based on a chapter of the French novelÉcoute, by Boris Razon.
Emilia Péreztells the storyof Mexican cartel leader Juan “Manitas” Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), who hires lawyer Rita Mora (Zoe Saldaña) to help him disappear so he can undergo gender-affirming surgery and live an authentic life. Years later, Manitas, now living as Emilia Pérez, wants to reunite with her children, but that forces her to confront her criminal past.Emilia Pérezis the most nominated movie at the 2025 Oscars, and despite its many controversies, backlash, and important issues, it’s guaranteed to win in, at least, one big category thanks to a decades-long trend.
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Emilia Pérez Is The Favorite To Win The Best International Feature Film Oscar
Despite Competition, Emilia Pérez Is The Clear Favorite In This Category
Emilia Pérezhas nominations in most of the Oscars’ biggest categories, among them Best International Feature Film. As the name says, this award is given to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States, and though the nominees are usually non-English language movies, there are some that are in English. InEmilia Pérez’s case, the movie is mostly in Spanish with a couple of English dialogs here and there, and what earned it a nomination in this category is that it’s a French production.
Despite having some interesting competition in the category of Best International Feature Film, most notably the Danish dramaThe Girl with the Needleand the animated Latvian movieFlow,Emilia Pérez is, at the time of writing, the big favorite to win in this category. Now,Emila Pérezhas been surrounded by controversyfor months and for various (and very important) reasons, such as its bad representation of trans people, Mexican culture, and a lot more.
I’m Still Here
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
However, this hasn’t stoppedEmilia Pérezfrom winning at other awards ceremonies and in similar categories like the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film. Some of these are the BAFTA’s Best Film Not in the English Language and the Golden Globes’ Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language awards, and it’s most likely on its way to winning this category at the Oscars.
Emilia Pérez’s Best Picture Nomination Guarantees An International Oscar Win
Emilia Pérez Is Nominated In Two Big Categories
In addition to being nominated for Best International Feature Film,Emilia Pérezis nominated for Best Picture, which only adds to its possibility of winning in the former category. Over the last 55 years, the Best International Feature Film nominees that are also nominated for Best Picture have won in the former category. Recent examples of this areAmour,Roma,Parasite,All Quiet on the Western Front, andThe Zone of Interest, givingEmilia Pérezeven bigger chances of winning in this category, despite all the controversies it’s still facing.
Parasitewon both Best International Feature Film and Best Picture, becoming the first non-English language movie to win the latter category.
The Oscars' Best International Feature Film & Best Picture Trend Will Officially Be Broken This Year
Two Big Nominees, Only 1 Winner
The trend of movies being nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Picture winning in the former has been 100% accurate in the last five decades, but this will inevitably end this year. Even ifEmilia Péreztakes the Oscar in this category,the trend will be over because there’s another movie with a double nominationjust like Audiard’s film. The Brazilian political biographical dramaI’m Still Hereis also nominated in both categories, and it could be the big surprise as Best International Feature Film.
Our Final Predictions For Oscars 2025’s Best Picture Lineup: Who Will Win?
The 10 movies nominated for Best Picture are confirmed, but only one can win the Oscars 2025 category. Will it be Anora, Conclave, or another?
Of course, bothEmilia PérezandI’m Still Herecan’t win Best International Feature Film (ties are very rare occurrences in Oscars history), so no matter who wins between these two,one of them will end up breaking this specific trend of movies nominated for this and Best Picture. As mentioned above, it’s possible that the category of Best International Feature Film could have a surprise up its sleeve and neither of these movies will win, which would still be breaking the trend.
Despite various controversies, backlash, and other issues, the 2025Oscarsare already looking quite interesting and exciting, with few clear favorites and plenty of room for surprises. Best International Feature Film isn’t a category that delivers surprises often, but this year could be the exception thanks to its strong competitors.
