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Mexican moviegoers are asking for a refund after watching ‘Emilia Pérez’ in theaters

MND Staff
By MND Staff
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Mexico's consumer protection agency Profeco said that it is currently reviewing demands for refunds from consumers who paid to watch the controversial film
Mexico's consumer protection agency Profeco said that it is currently reviewing demands for refunds from consumers who paid to watch the controversial film "Emilia Pérez" at Cinépolis theaters. (Canva)

Mexico’s Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) is investigating complaints from consumers seeking a refund from the Mexican movie theater chain Cinépolis after watching the film “Emilia Pérez.” 

Since last Thursday, the agency has received many complaints on social media from consumers demanding the money spent on their movie tickets back, the head of Profeco Iván Escalante said during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Monday morning press conference. 

Several moviegoers criticized the cinema for allegedly not honoring its “‘Cinépolis Guarantee,” which promises to reimburse the cost of your ticket if you are dissatisfied with the film. 

“We contacted [Cinépolis] immediately,” said Escalante. “What they’re telling us is that it was a guarantee that they ran as a campaign to recommend certain films, but that in reality, since [the campaign] had been around for a long time and had not created any major problems, they left the guarantee in place, but had not trained their staff on how to [administer reimbursements].” 

Emilia Pérez, directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, had 10 nominations and four wins at the Golden Globes on Jan. 5 in Los Angeles. It has since broken the record for the most Oscar nominations earned by a non-English language film, with 13.  

However, many Mexicans have responded negatively to the film, which portrays the leader of a cartel as a redeemed figure. They criticize the director for a perceived lack of cultural awareness about the disappearance of hundreds of thousands of people in Mexico as a result of cartel activity. 

Zoe Saldana and Sofia Gascon Alarcon in a scene from Emilia Perez
Despite sweeping the Golden Globes, “Emilia Pérez” has deeply offended a large segment of Mexico’s population. (Netflix) 

“Turning the country’s biggest security crisis into a musical where the protagonist is one of the perpetrators of that crisis shows a profound lack of respect,” wrote Mexican writer María Meléndez for Mexico News Daily.

“The impunity enjoyed by those responsible for over 300,000 dead and 121,000 missing isn’t material for a comedy,” added Meléndez.

At its Mexican premiere on Jan. 15, the French filmmaker responded to the criticism. “The drama of the missing is something that shocks me deeply,” Audiard said. “It’s a tragedy that’s largely invisible outside of Mexico, and my goal was to generate dialogue, not offense.”

Profeco said that it is currently reviewing demands for refunds from consumers who paid to watch “Emilia Perez” at Cinépolis theaters.  

The agency has recommended that Cinépolis “recommend” rather than “guarantee” films under its policy, to avoid customer disappointment. 

With reports from El Universal, Aristegui Noticias, The Guardian and El País

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