Sebastián Lelio, Chilean Director of Oscar-Winning ‘A Fantastic Woman,’ Dies at 52

Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, who directed the Oscar winner “A Fantastic Woman,” died Friday at his home in Santiago. He was 52.

His partner, actress Amalia Kassai, posted on Instagram, saying his death was “due to health reasons.” According to Chilean news outlet El Mercurio Online, Kassai contacted police after he was found at his home in Las Condes district of Santiago.

“We are going through a very painful time, and his memory will remain with us forever. He was a wonderful person who contributed to Chilean culture during important moments in its history,” Kassai wrote.

“As a family, we ask for respect for our privacy and consideration during these difficult times,” said the statement signed by the Lelio Kassai family and the Campos Watt family.

“A Fantastic Woman,” starring Daniela Vega as a trans woman implicated in the accidental death of her older boyfriend, won the Oscar for best foreign language film in 2018 as well as the Independent Spirit Award for best international film. The film’s emphasis on gender identity helped lead to reforms for trans identification in Chile.

Lelio’s other films include “The Wonder” and “Gloria Bell,” an English language remake of his earlier film “Gloria,” which won numerous awards. “Gloria Bell” starred Julianne Moore and John Turturro in the story of a free-spirited woman who looks for love in Los Angeles dance clubs.

His 2017 English-language film “Disobedience” starred Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams in the story of a woman who returns to an Orthodox community where she reunites with a childhood friend.

Lelio was born in Argentina and moved to Chile at the age of 2. He started his career with “La Sagrada Familia.” His next features were “Navidad” and “The Year of the Tiger.”

Most recently he directed “The Wave,” a musical inspired by feminist mobilizations in Chile.

Lelio had been working on the film “Chilean Poet,” based on the novel by Alejandro Zambra.