Transgender actress Karla Sofia Gascon wins best actress at Cannes Film Festival

Spanish actress, Karla Sofia Gascon has become the first trans woman to be presented the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Madrid-born Gascon, 52, who starred in Jacques Audiard’s musical comedy Emilia Perez won the award on Saturday night along with the film’s female cast

Female stars in the Spanish-language film included Zoe Saldana, 45, Selena Gomez, 31, and Adriana Paz, 44, who were not present at the closing night of the prestigious awards ceremony on the French Riviera. 

During her acceptance speech, a teary-eyed Gascon said: ‘To every trans person suffering every f***** day with hate…This is for you,’ The Telegraph reported. 

Addressing critics in her speech, she said: ‘We all have the opportunity to change for the better, to be better people. If you have made us suffer, it is time for you also to change,’ she added. 

Commenting on the jury’s decision to split the best actress award four ways, jury president Greta Gerwig said: ‘Women together – that’s something we wanted to honour when we made this award. Each of them stand out, but together transcendent’.