Movies

Forget ‘Emilia Pérez.’ Its parody, ‘Johanne Sacreblu,’ is the real work of art

BBG News

As a cinephile, I’m eager to advocate for a film that spotlights a transgender woman as its main character, aiming to push boundaries and challenge conventions by wholeheartedly adopting and redefining stereotypes in a groundbreaking way.

Speaking of course, I’m referring to “Johanne Sacrebleu,” the film that pays tribute to Emilia Pérez and marks the directorial debut of Mexican filmmaker Camila Aurora. This movie, which presents a gripping confrontation between France and Mexico since the Battle of Puebla, is also a long-awaited critique of superficial Hollywood portrayals.

To read “Johanne Sacreblu” as text, you’ll need proficiency in Spanish (as there are currently no English subtitles) and an understanding of “Emilia Pérez,” the controversial musical directed by Jacques Audiard that has received 13 Oscar nominations. Navigating to France involves passing through Mexico, which, in “Emilia Pérez,” is essentially France with a sepia filter. Nonetheless, let’s go for it!

In essence, the storyline only provides a basic introduction to the “Emilia Pérez” experience, but it serves as a starting point: The character Rita Mora Castro, portrayed by Zoe Saldaña, is a lawyer who feels undervalued for defending violent criminals. She seizes an opportunity to work with Mexican drug lord Manitas del Monte, played by Karla Sofía Gascón, who enlists Castro’s help in staging her own death. This allows her to move on as Emilia while leaving her spouse, Jessi (played by Selena Gomez), and their children unaware of her whereabouts. Emilia then establishes an NGO called La Lucecita alongside Castro, which focuses on locating victims of the cartel-related violence that Pérez has contributed to significantly. Fortunately, this never develops into a significant internal conflict.

Approaching the subject with an open mind, I’ll admit I can’t fathom why someone would choose such a demanding career path (switching to grueling nonprofit work). Yet, I tried to set aside biases and prejudgments before watching the movie, disregarding the escalating criticism that has arisen since its Oscar nominations. The film’s portrayal of transgender individuals has been criticized by LGBTQ+ media watchdog GLAAD as a step backwards. Furthermore, it has faced heavy backlash from Mexicans, who argue that the movie’s handling of cartel violence is awkward and disrespectful. They have also pointed out that none of its main characters are played by Mexican actors.

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From my perspective, it’s not unreasonable to compare “Emilia Pérez” to a Chilean director creating a musical about the U.S. Capitol riot, using primarily Thai actors. While such a film would pique my interest, it seems we can agree that its authenticity might be questioned.

In essence, I find it questionable that “Emilia Pérez” strives for a nuanced or accurate portrayal of cartel violence in Mexico, as the director himself has admitted to not having extensively studied the subject.

While I respect the intentions behind “Emilia Pérez,” I have reservations about its seriousness, as it seems to use violent cartel activity in Mexico as a means to elevate itself into significant cinema and Oscar contention. I find this an unusual approach for a film that includes a musical number within a Bangkok surgery clinic with lyrics like “penis to vagina.” Instead of balancing between campiness and a heavy-handed social commentary about the struggles faced by people in Mexico, it appears as though the movie failed to do its homework. In my opinion, this film’s overreach ultimately leads to its downfall, as it tries too hard to impress us with weighty themes.

In a similar vein, “Emilia Pérez” seems somewhat akin to “American Dirt: The Musical.” While the former novel was presumably intended as a straightforward narco-thriller, it was marketed as a long-overdue portrayal of the human condition at the Mexican border. This shift in positioning sparked significant controversy, with Oprah Winfrey even discussing the issue with the author, Jeanine Cummins. Interestingly, the reaction to “Emilia Pérez” mirrors that of “American Dirt.” However, the most promising alternative to “Emilia Pérez” thus far is “Johanne Sacreblu.

In a widely shared post on X, a screenshot features the statement: “A band of Mexicans countered Emilia Perez with a short film named Johanne Sacrebleu – an amusing production inspired by France, yet without any French actors or crew.” The caption reads, “Spite never fails to inspire creativity.” This film narrates the tale of Johanne Sacreblu, a transgender baguette heiress, who finds herself smitten with Agtugo Ratatouille, a transgender croissant heir, in a humorous take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The movie is devoid of subtlety, presenting every French character as a mime or a wine-swigging individual wearing a beret, speaking heavily accented, broken French. Most of them are operated by rats, similar to the characters in Pixar’s “Ratatouille.” It’s chaotic and intentionally poor quality, which is the objective.

In essence, “Johanne Sacreblu” can be interpreted as a direct response to “Emilia Pérez,” yet it also serves as a multi-faceted critique of Hollywood’s stereotypical portrayal of Latin America and shallow representation of Latinos. The caricatured mustaches, mimes, and baguettes in “Johanne Sacreblu” imply that depictions of this community are frequently superficial, relying on overtly obvious symbols that are more catering to those who feel good about seeing such communities portrayed at all, rather than the communities themselves. These oversimplified representations are often presented in bold and large font for easier recognition, but lack depth or authenticity.

It’s clear that this situation highlights the lack of understanding within our cultural establishments – institutions that, after the recent presidential election and with the scaling back of diversity programs, appear to be saying, “we gave diversity a try, but it failed!” However, did they truly give it a chance, or were they merely producing items primarily to alleviate their own discomfort, items that proclaimed ‘progress’ at an overwhelming volume but, in essence, lacked any meaningful content?

Johanne Sacreblu serves as an example of how media criticism can evolve in today’s context, where “call-out culture” is often met with exhaustion. Instead of harshly criticizing on social media, she opts for a fresh and comedic approach. Aurora uses humor to convey her message, which has resulted in viewers joining the joke and appreciating her depiction of French culture as authentic. The comedy piece has garnered a rating of 4.6 on the film platform Letterboxd. The audience becomes part of the satire themselves, mirroring the critique of Hollywood’s traditional representation methods. It’s invigorating. It’s enjoyable.

It’s important to acknowledge that Emilia Pérez finds herself in a delicate position within our current cultural climate, viewed from the U.S. perspective. I am supportive of trans actors receiving recognition for their work, and I wish Sofía Gascón nothing but success in her career. She possesses immense talent, and given the challenges faced by the trans community, seeing a trans actress nominated for best actress offers a glimmer of hope. I also instinctively defend challenging films, and during awards season like the Oscars, one film often becomes the ‘villain,’ with its flaws being exaggerated to an almost comical degree.

Ultimately, the film “Emilia Pérez” brought intense scrutiny upon itself. If it had been a comedic piece dealing with themes of redemption, perhaps its casual handling of cartel violence could be overlooked. However, the film aspires to something more substantial than humor. As a musical, the songs lack memorability. As a drama, it struggles to sustain suspense. What remains prominent is its exploration of murders and disappearances in Mexico, along with its portrayal, which includes a trans actress and Latino characters. I can only guess, but I suspect that this depiction of two frequently overlooked demographics might have been emphasized during its Oscar campaign.

As a film critic, I must confess that while “Emilia Pérez” certainly offers a unique representation, I’m not entirely convinced of the villainous nature it seems to portray. To my eyes, it appears more muddled and complex than outright evil, which leaves me questioning its deservingness of the recognition it has garnered thus far. In contrast, the film’s parody offers a message that resonates more powerfully with me.

Sacrebleu!

Based in Brooklyn, New York, JP Brammer serves as a columnist, author, illustrator, and content creator. His work has been published by various outlets such as the Guardian, NBC News, and the Washington Post. Currently, he contributes regularly to De Los. Notably, he is the author of “Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons,” which was inspired by his advice column.

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2025-01-30 05:32

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