French composers Clément Ducol and Camille have taken home the Oscar for Best Original Song with ‘El Mal’ from Emilia Pérez. The win follows their Golden Globe victory in January for the same track.
The duo’s work on Emilia Pérez earned them three nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, including Best Original Score. Their song ‘Mi Camino’—also from the film—was in the running, making them their own competition. They edged out heavyweights like Diane Warren (‘The Journey’ from The Six Triple Eight), Elton John and Bernie Taupin (‘Never Too Late’ from Elton John: Never Too Late), and Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel, and Black Pumas’ Adrian Quesada (‘Like A Bird’ from Sing Sing).
Mick Jagger presented the award, cracking, “I wasn’t the first choice. The producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do it.”
In their acceptance speech, Camille highlighted the song’s message. “We wrote ‘El Mal’ as a song to denounce corruption” she said. “We hope it speaks to the role music and art can play and continue to play as a force of good and progress in the world.”
Emilia Pérez has been one of the year’s most polarising films. A mix of musical theatre and crime drama, it’s been praised and criticised in equal measure. But its impact is undeniable. Camille sees the film’s recognition as a step forward: “It’s a very free, provocative and empathic, compassionate movie. And I really think this is what we need now.”
Ducol described their deep involvement in the project, saying, “We were involved at the beginning of the construction of the story in music. Everything is linked together, woven between the script, the screenplay, the songs. The music in this movie is the story.”
For a duo with no previous Oscar nominations, three in one year is a statement. The Academy clearly agreed.
Other winners of the night so far include: Wicked for Product Design, Zoe Saldana for Best Supporting Actress, Kieran Culkin for Best Supporting Actor.
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