"Doesn’t make sense at all": Internet trolls movie with memes as Emilia Perez makes Oscars history with 13 nominations in 2025

When Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez was announced as a frontrunner at the 2025 Oscars with 13 nominations, including Best Picture, the internet responded the way it always does—with memes and confusion (and a bunch of hit tweets). The film, which tells the tale of a transgender woman navigating life's challenges after escaping her prior involvement with a drug gang, ignited social media with its innovative concept and the overwhelming amount of nominations it received.

The announcement left some stunned, some baffled, and many producing some of the funniest memes this awards season for a film no one anticipated winning the most Oscars. Like many perplexed viewers, one user wrote,

"Doesn't make sense at all."

Some couldn't quite comprehend the film's Oscar sweep, which led to one of the most meme-filled mornings on Twitter, despite its emotional depth (some believe) and relevance in LGBTQ+ representation (fewer agree).

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Oscars history or internet mystery? Fans troll Emilia Perez with memes after its 13 nominations shocked the world

Following the announcement, fans flooded social media with their own amusing interpretations of Emilia Perez's momentous occasion. Others were eager to point out their confusion and provide some humorous criticism, even as many others praised the movie's success.

“Not one Challengers or queer nomination but Emilia Pérez is making Oscars history,” tweeted a user, along with a GIF of Brad Pitt sobbing while shooting someone—a perfect depiction of the mixed emotions.

Another added,

"Emilia Perez getting two nominations for original song when they sound like they were translated on Google by someone who has never heard a Latino song in their lives,” driving home the point that not everyone was sold on the movie's musical prowess.

Even the film’s editing nomination didn’t escape scrutiny, with a user writing,

"Emilia Perez getting an editing nomination over Dune or Challengers," accompanied by the now-classic GIF of a woman smoking and burning her house down.

And if that wasn't enough, one fan couldn’t help but highlight the absurdity of the film's success, tweeting,

"Emilia Pérez and Oppenheimer having the same amount of Oscar nominations,"

The trolling didn’t stop there. Some were unapologetically vocal about their disdain for the film.

“And f*ck Emilia Perez (I haven’t seen it),”

one user bluntly shared, while another expressed their own Oscars fantasy:

“Need this to be Emilia Perez on March 2nd,” with a screenshot of Katy Perry, winless despite her 13 nominations.

Others brought Wicked into the fold, with one tweeting,

“Wicked and Emilia Perez nominations but nothing for Challengers? Oh, okay,” paired with the infamous Will Smith slap GIF.

And of course, France couldn’t escape the memes. One tweet put it best:

“France solely ruining awards season (Emilia Perez) but also trying to save it from disaster (The Substance).”

The duality of French cinema, it seems, is alive and well.

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Emilia Perez: A historic and unexpected Oscars contender

Despite the popularity of trolling on the internet, Emilia Perez's Oscar victory represents a significant milestone in cinema. The film, directed by renowned French director Jacques Audiard, addresses difficult issues of acceptance, identity, and reinvention.

Despite the lack of nuance in the representation, it does represent a major victory for trans representation in mainstream cinema. The film's emotional depth, strong performances, and daring plot seem to have earned it several nominations.

The film's surprising popularity demonstrates how the Academy is beginning to acknowledge a wider range of storylines, even ones that might not fit the more conventional Academy favorites. Even if films like Dune 2 and The Brutalist have dominated this year's award show conversation, Emilia Perez's rise to prominence as a formidable contender demonstrates that tales that don't fit Hollywood's usual mold may still have an impact.

Emilia Perez has not only created history with its 13 nominations, but it has also generated one of the most remarkable internet responses this awards season. It's obvious that the movie has already earned a spot in the history of the Oscars—and the meme hall of fame on the internet—whether it brings home an armful of prizes or not.