Filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, whose work brought Chilean cinema to a global audience, has died at 52. His family announced his death on November 6, saying he had passed away for health reasons. They did not share further details and asked for privacy as they mourn.
Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Lelio moved to Chile with his family when he was two. He became one of Chile’s best-known directors, earning international recognition for films that explored identity, love, grief and the pressures people face in their private lives.
His 2013 drama Gloria drew widespread attention and was later remade in English as Gloria Bell, starring Julianne Moore. Lelio’s most celebrated film, A Fantastic Woman, followed Marina, a transgender woman navigating grief and discrimination after the death of her partner.
The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018, bringing Chile its second Oscar. Its story also helped draw international attention to the challenges transgender people face.
Lelio continued working with acclaimed performers throughout his career. He directed Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams in Disobedience and Florence Pugh in The Wonder. His films earned praise for their distinctive visual style and for placing women’s experiences at the center of the story.
Tributes have since honored Lelio’s influence on Chilean culture and his lasting contribution to cinema. He is remembered for making films that connected intimate human stories with wider conversations about dignity, belonging and identity.