The director of “A Fantastic Woman” died in Santiago as authorities conducted investigative procedures and Chile declared two days of official mourning.
SANTIAGO, Chile — Sebastián Lelio, the Chilean filmmaker whose “A Fantastic Woman” won an Academy Award and helped bring international attention to Chilean cinema, died Friday at age 52, his family and Chilean authorities said.
Lelio’s family announced his death in a statement shared by his partner, actress Amalia Kassai, saying the director had died for health-related reasons. The family did not provide a more specific cause of death and asked for privacy. Chilean prosecutors opened investigative procedures at Lelio’s home in the Las Condes area of Santiago, but authorities had not publicly announced findings establishing a different cause as of Sunday.
Chile’s Metropolitan East Prosecutor’s Office said the chief flagrancy prosecutor, Jorge Reyes, went to the filmmaker’s residence after his death was reported. The office later assigned investigative work to the homicide brigade of Chile’s investigative police. Prosecutors said they would not provide further statements about the case. Published reports said Kassai found Lelio at the residence around midday Friday and contacted authorities, though officials had released few additional details about the circumstances.
The Chilean government responded to Lelio’s death by declaring Nov. 7 and 8 days of official mourning. The Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage said Lelio had carried Chilean cinema to international audiences and described “A Fantastic Woman” as a landmark in the country’s film history. The movie became the first Chilean feature to win the Academy Award for best foreign-language film, the category now known as international feature film, at the 2018 Oscars.
Released in 2017, “A Fantastic Woman” starred Daniela Vega as Marina, a transgender woman confronting grief and discrimination after the death of her partner. The film became Lelio’s most internationally recognized work and was among several projects in which he centered characters whose lives were often less visible in mainstream cinema. Its Academy Award victory marked one of the highest-profile achievements in the history of Chilean filmmaking.
Lelio had already earned international recognition with “Gloria,” his 2013 film about a middle-aged woman rebuilding her life. Paulina García won the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival for her performance. Lelio later moved into English-language filmmaking with “Disobedience,” starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams, followed by “Gloria Bell,” starring Julianne Moore, and “The Wonder,” starring Florence Pugh.
His more recent work included “The Wave,” a musical inspired by Chile’s 2018 feminist student movement. At the time of his death, Chilean media reported that Lelio was working on “Chilean Poet,” an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra’s novel. The project reflected a career that continued to move between Chilean stories and international productions while maintaining close ties to the country’s film community.
Following the announcement of his death, Lelio’s family arranged a public farewell at the Cineteca Nacional de Chile in central Santiago. The viewing began Saturday and continued Sunday, with admission subject to the venue’s capacity. The family thanked the public for the expressions of affection received after the filmmaker’s death.
Chile’s Culture Ministry described Lelio as a director, screenwriter and producer whose work became part of the country’s cultural legacy. The ministry highlighted both “Gloria” and “A Fantastic Woman” while offering condolences to his relatives, friends and members of the audiovisual community. His death also prompted tributes from figures across Chile’s arts and film industries.
Authorities had not released a detailed medical cause of death as of Sunday. The family’s statement attributed Lelio’s death to health reasons, while investigative work ordered by prosecutors remained part of the official response to his death. No public statement from prosecutors had indicated criminal wrongdoing.
Lelio’s public farewell was scheduled to continue through Sunday at the Cineteca Nacional as Chile observed the second of two official days of mourning. He leaves behind a body of work that moved from Chilean independent cinema to major international productions and included one of the country’s most significant Academy Award victories.
Author note: Last updated November 8, 2026.