Emilia Pérez Cast to Receive Palm Springs Film Festival Vanguard Award

Netflix’s Emilia Pérez will be the recipient of the Vanguard Award at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival, it was announced on Wednesday.

The Vanguard Award is “a group honor distinguishing a film’s cast and director in recognition of their collective work on an exceptional film project,” according to the Palm Springs International Film Awards. The award will be presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.

“Emilia Pérez is one of the greatest achievements in cinema this year,” Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement. “This powerful film from visionary director Jacques Audiard is led by outstanding performances from Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Edgar Ramírez. The film started its awards run at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize and its main actresses shared the best actress prize. It’s our honor to celebrate the director and cast of Emilia Pérez with the Vanguard Award for this achievement in filmmaking.” 

Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award have been Academy Award best picture winners Green Book and The Shape of Water, as well as best picture nominees Belfast, Killers of the Flower Moon, La La Land, Little Miss Sunshine, The Fabelmans and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

The film awards will take place on Jan. 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running from Jan. 2 to Jan. 13, 2025.