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Acclaimed filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, whose ground-breaking drama Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) took home an Oscar and a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, died on Friday (6 November) at the age of 52.
His partner Amalia Kassai announced his death on Instagram, citing health reasons without specifying the cause of death.
“His memory will remain forever among us,” the announcement read. “He was a beautiful person who contributed to Chilean culture in great moments of its history.”
Chilean media reports that he died at his home in Las Condes, Santiago.
The Argentine-born filmmaker raised in Chile first gained international recognition for his fourth film, 2013’s Gloria, whose lead actor Paulina García received the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlinale.
Then came 2017’s A Fantastic Woman, which cemented his international reputation but also broke ground with its portrayal of a transgender woman. It starred trans actress Daniela Vega as a waitress and nightclub singer whose life is torn apart by the death of her boyfriend.
Not only did the film win the Oscar for Best International Feature Film (Chile’s second Oscar, following the animated short Bear Story), but it sparked a debate that helped change the law in his native Chile, allowing people to legally change their gender.
Lelio’s other films include the queer love story Disobedience, starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams; the English-language remake of Gloria, titled Gloria Bell, starring Julianne Moore; and The Wonder – the stunning adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s novel starring Florence Pugh. It was one of Euronews Culture’s favourite films of 2022.
Lelio had begun filming Poeta Chileno (Chilean Poet), based on the book by Alejandro Zambra, in September.
His final film was 2025’s The Wave, a musical protest drama that premiered at Cannes.
RIP Sebastián Lelio 1974 – 2026