Sebastian Lelio, Oscar-Winning Director of A Fantastic Woman, Dies at 52
The Chilean director, whose A Fantastic Woman won the Academy Award for best foreign language film in 2018, was found at his home in Las Condes, Santiago, on Friday. No cause of death has been made public.
Key points
- Sebastian Lelio, the Chilean director who won an Academy Award for A Fantastic Woman, has died at the age of 52.
- His partner, the Chilean-German actress and director Amalia Kassai, communicated the news of his death, The Clinic reported.
- Lelio was born on March 8, 1974 in Mendoza, Argentina, and was raised in Chile, where he moved at the age of two.
Sebastian Lelio, the Chilean director who won an Academy Award for A Fantastic Woman, has died at the age of 52. Chilean media reported on Friday, November 6, 2026 that he was found at his home in Las Condes, in Santiago. El Pais reported the death the same day, and Radio Universidad de Chile said sources close to CNN Chile had confirmed it. No cause of death has been made public.
His partner, the Chilean-German actress and director Amalia Kassai, communicated the news of his death, The Clinic reported. The Clinic said Lelio had no children. Canal 13, citing CNN Chile, said he was found dead at his home and that no details about the cause or circumstances had been released.
A career built on women at the centre
Lelio was born on March 8, 1974 in Mendoza, Argentina, and was raised in Chile, where he moved at the age of two. His films centred on identity, freedom and human relationships, and often on women holding their ground under social pressure.
His feature debut was La sagrada familia, followed by Navidad in 2009 and El año del tigre in 2011. His first wide international recognition came with Gloria in 2013. Paulina Garcia, its star, won the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The Oscar for A Fantastic Woman
His international breakthrough came with A Fantastic Woman in 2017, starring Daniela Vega. The film tells the story of a transgender woman fighting to defend her dignity after the death of her partner. It won the Academy Award for best foreign language film in 2018, and El Pais noted that it was the first Chilean production to win that recognition.
He then widened his work outside Chile. Disobedience, released in 2017, starred Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams. Gloria Bell in 2018 starred Julianne Moore in an English-language version of Gloria. The Wonder, released in 2022, starred Florence Pugh. In 2025 he released La ola, a musical inspired by the feminist mobilisations that shook Chilean universities in 2018.
At the time of his death he was working in Santiago on Poeta chileno, a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alejandro Zambra. The Clinic reported that he was directing the shoot in Santiago.
Timeline
- Mar 8, 1974Sebastian Lelio is born in Mendoza, Argentina. He is raised in Chile from the age of two.
- 2013Gloria is released. Paulina Garcia wins the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival.
- 2017A Fantastic Woman, starring Daniela Vega, is released, along with his English-language film Disobedience.
- 2018A Fantastic Woman wins the Academy Award for best foreign language film, the first Chilean production to win that recognition.
- 2025La ola, his musical inspired by the 2018 feminist mobilisations in Chilean universities, is released.
- Nov 6, 2026Lelio dies at the age of 52. He is found at his home in Las Condes, Santiago, while working on the film Poeta chileno.
Sources
- El Pais: Muere a los 52 años el director chileno Sebastian Lelio, ganador del Oscar por Una mujer fantastica
- Radio Universidad de Chile: Muere Sebastian Lelio, el cineasta que le dio a Chile su primer Oscar por mejor pelicula internacional
- The Clinic: Muere a los 52 años Sebastian Lelio, ganador del Oscar con Una Mujer Fantastica
- Canal 13: Murio Sebastian Lelio, destacado director de cine chileno, a los 52 años