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Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” took home the prize for best film not in the English language at the BAFTA Awards on Sunday night, despite controversy over star Karla Sofía Gascón’s offensive tweets.
In his acceptance speech, Audiard still thanked Gascón — who was absent at the ceremony and has effectively been removed from the awards campaign.
“Above all, I would like to thank all the wonderful artists who brought this film to life and who are here with us tonight,” he said. “My dear Zoe, my dear Selena, Giorgini, Paul, Juliet, Camille, Clement, Julia and your team, but also you, my dear Karla Sofia, that I kiss. I’m deeply proud of what we achieved together. Long live ‘Emilia Pérez’!”
The British Academy had previously revealed that Gascón wasn’t expected the attend the awards, having released a lineup of guests from which she was absent. This came after the Spaniard — who became the first openly transgender actress to be BAFTA- and Oscar-nominated — issued another apology saying she hoped that her “silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference.”
While Gascón skipped the BAFTAs — as she had the Critics Choice Awards, PGA Awards and the Goya Awards — her co-stars Selena Gomez and Ze Saldaña were in attendance, both nominated in the best supporting actress category. The two were also among the presenters at the ceremony.
A week after Gascón’s tweets — in which she attacked Islam, George Floyd and a more diverse Oscars — were uncovered, “Emila Pérez” director Jacques Audiard gave an interview in which he disavowed the best actress contender, saying that he “hasn’t spoken to her” and calling her “self-destructive.”
