Out of eleven nominations, the Spanish-language French musical Emilia Pérez took home the prize for Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for star Zoe Saldaña, at the 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) on Sunday, February 16.

Director Jacques Audiard thanked the cast, including Karla Sofia Gascón, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role but didn’t attend the ceremony amid controversy over racist social media posts that resurfaced last month.

“Above all, I would like to thank all the wonderful artists who brought this film to life and who are here with us tonight,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. “My dear Zoe, my dear Selena, Giorgini, Paul, Juliet, Camille, Clement, Julia and your team, but also you, my dear Karla Sofia, that I kiss. I’m deeply proud of what we achieved together. Long live Emilia Pérez!,” Audiard said.

Meanwhile, Best Supporting Actress winner Zoe Saldaña honored her trans nephew in his acceptance speech, “I’m dedicating all of these awards and the film Emilia Pérez to my nephew, Eli. He is the reason, they are the reason, I signed up to do this film in the first place. So as the proud aunt of a trans life, I will always stand with trans people.”

In the film, Saldaña plays a lawyer who offered a job to help a cartel leader (Gascón) disappear and transition into a woman. “I want to thank my wonderful cast, Karla, Selena [Gomez], Adriana [Paz] […] Films are supposed to change hearts and challenge minds. And I hope that ‘Emilia Pérez’ did something like this, please, because voices need to be heard,” she added.

After making history as the most-nominated non-English language film at the Oscars with 13 nominations, the film has been caught in controversy during its awards season campaign. Offensive social media posts by lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón have resurfaced, prompting streaming platform Netflix to remove her from their Oscar campaigns. The film also received negative backlash in Mexico for its portrayal of the country’s culture, drug war, and transgender representation.

The Brutalist also took home four awards, including Best Director for Brady Corbet (Vox Lux), Best Actor in a Leading Role for Adrien Brody, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.

The BAFTA is an annual awards show held by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, first held in 1949, recognizing the best British and international contributions to the world of cinema.