Good news for French cinema, two months before the Oscars: Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard dominated the Golden Globes by winning four trophies, including best comedy.
The evening was also marked by the coronation of The Brutalistportrait of a Holocaust survivor architect trying to rebuild his life in the United States, which received three statuettes.
Awarded at Cannes and broadcast by Netflix, Emilia Perez had 10 nominations and lived up to its favorite status.
In addition to the major award, this musical odyssey about the gender transition of a Mexican drug trafficker won the prize for best international film, that of best supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña, and that of best song for French artists Camille and Clément Ducol, who composed the original soundtrack.
Jacques Audiard, whose filmography gives pride of place to marginal characters, dedicated this victory “to all those who feel worried today”. The French filmmaker urged them “to keep your head high, to continue fighting and to hope for better days.”
“You may be able to put us in prison, you may beat us, but you will never be able to take away our soul, our resistance, our identity”launched Karla Sofía Gascón, the transgender actress who plays the heroine of the film.
The Demi Moore sensation
Awarded at Cannes, the Spanish actress has not had the same success with Hollywood. She lost to Demi Moore, who won best actress in a comedy for her very committed performance in another French film, The Substance.
In this horrific fable by Coralie Fargeat, which does not skimp on the gore, the 62-year-old actress plays a former Hollywood glory addicted to a youth serum. A substance that generates a rejuvenated double of itself, with destructive impulses.
Demi Moore admitted that she herself was afraid of becoming an aging actress and thanked the Frenchwoman for “this magical, daring, courageous, off the beaten track, completely crazy script”which allows her to finally be recognized during a major ceremony.
“I’m in shock”insisted the actress. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve won anything as an actress.”
Three major awards for “The Brutalist”
Another big winner of the evening, The Brutalist won a very prestigious trifecta: best dramatic film, best director for Brady Corbet – who is ahead of Jacques Audiard and Coralie Fargeat in this category -, and best actor for Adrien Brody.
With such a harvest, this 3h30 long film, hailed as a masterpiece and already elevated by critics to the rank of great classics like “The Godfathercements its status as an Oscar heavyweight.
In the heart of a Hollywood where studios often influence creation, Brady Corbet took the opportunity to address a plea in favor of the independence of directors.
“No one was asking for a three-and-a-half hour film about a mid-century designer on 70 millimeter film, but it works,” he insisted, believing that the “final cut” should always come back to the director.
Its big competitor, the papal thriller Conclavewon the prize for best screenplay, for its dive into the power struggles of the Vatican during the election of a new pope.
A diverse track record
The Golden Globes separate comedies and dramas in their awards. They have reformed in recent years, after the vast scandal revealed in 2021 on the corruption and racism of their members. Their jury has notably expanded significantly, with more than 200 new members from all over the world.
And it showed in the rest of the film and television charts. Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres notably created a surprise against major competitors like Angelina Jolie (Maria) and Nicole Kidman (Babygirl).
She walked away with the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama film, for her role as a determined widow under the military dictatorship of the 1970s in Rio, in I’m still here.
Among the actors, Sebastian Stan was voted best actor in a comedy for his role in A Different Manwhere he plays an aspiring actor looking for a fresh start after cosmetic surgery. He was also nominated in the drama categories for his portrayal of Donald Trump in The Apprentice.
