The film stars Zoe Saldana as Rita, a lawyer forcible recruited by a crime boss, Manitas, played by Karla Sofía Gascón, who wants to undergo gender-confirming surgery to become a woman. She emerges as Emilia Pérez, but will not give up a connection to her wife, Jessi, played by Selena Gomez, and her children.

The French musical scored the most nominations of any movie this year, but it also faces criticism on multiple fronts.