Chilean director Sebastián Lelio dies at 52

The Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Leliodirector of the Oscar-winning film for Best International Film, a fantastic womandied on Friday at his home in Santiago de Chile. He was 52 years old.

His partner, actress Amalia Kassai, reported via Instagram that the death occurred “for health reasons.”

“We are going through a very painful moment and his memory will remain with us forever. He was a wonderful person who contributed to Chilean culture at important moments in its history. As a family, we ask for respect for our privacy and consideration during these difficult times,” says the statement, signed by the Lelio Kassai and Campos Watt families.

According to the Chilean media El Mercurio Online, Kassai contacted the police after finding Lelio in his home, located in the commune of Las Condes, in Santiago.

a fantastic woman (2017), starring Daniela Vega in the role of a trans woman involved in the accidental death of her partner – a man older than her –, won the Oscar for best foreign film at the 2018 ceremony, as well as the Independent Spirit award for best international film. The film's emphasis on gender identity helped drive reforms related to the identification of trans people in Chile.

Among other Lelio films are The year of the tiger (2011), Gloria Bell (2018), an English-language remake of his previous film Gloria (2013), which won numerous awards. Gloria Bell It starred Julianne Moore and John Turturro, and tells the story of a free-spirited woman looking for love in dance clubs in Los Angeles.

His 2017 film shot in English, Disobediencestarred Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams, and tells the story of a woman who returns to an Orthodox community, where she is reunited with a childhood friend.

More recently launched The Wonder (2022), a Netflix original film, starring Florence Pugh. His last film was The wave (2025), inspired by feminist mobilizations in Chile.

Lelio had been working on the feature film Chilean poetbased on the novel by Alejandro Zambra, which was in the production stage.

Rest in peace, Sebastián Lelio.