The Goya Awards ceremony in Granada saw Emilia Pérez win the Best European Film award, but her absence was notable. Instead of receiving the honor, a shoutout from the film’s distributors calling for “more cinema, more culture” to counteract hate and ridicule resonated with the audience. Spanish filmmaker Juan Antonio Bayona, who previously awarded Gascón’s co-stars the Best Actress prize at Cannes, expressed sympathy for her situation, saying her comments were inexcusable but also acknowledged that tolerance requires compassion.
Gascón has scaled back her awards-season appearances following controversy over racist and Islamophobic social media comments. Her win was not a surprise, as ballots had been submitted before the scandal broke on January 30. The Best European Film category included films such as France’s “The Count of Monte-Cristo”, Latvia’s “Flow”, Italy’s “La Chimera”, and the UK’s Oscar-winning “The Zone of Interest”.
Bayona’s comments sparked debate, with some arguing that criticism should stop to protect Gascón’s film. However, others criticized Bayona for suggesting a “lynching” around Gascón, implying her comments were unfairly targeted. The situation highlights the complex nature of discussing tolerance and compassion in the public eye.
Source: https://deadline.com/2025/02/emilia-perez-goya-awards-karla-sofia-gascon-1236282866