Sebastián Lelio Dies at 52: Oscar-Winning Director of A Fantastic Woman

Oscar-winning Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio has died at 52, his family announced on Friday, November 6, 2026. Lelio, whose 2017 drama A Fantastic Woman won Chile its first Academy Award, was found dead at his home in the Las Condes district of Santiago. His death ends one of the most celebrated careers in Latin American cinema, a body of work that carried Chilean stories — and a transgender heroine — onto the world stage.

Key Points

• Sebastián Lelio, 52, died on Friday, November 6, 2026, at his home in Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.
• His longtime partner, actress Amalia Kassai, found him around midday on Friday and called police; she later announced the death on social media.
• The family said Lelio died "due to health reasons" and asked for privacy, while prosecutors are investigating the exact cause of death.
• His 2017 film A Fantastic Woman, starring Daniela Vega, won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film — Chile's first win in the category.
• At the time of his death he was filming Poeta Chileno (Chilean Poet), an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra's novel, in Santiago.

What Happened

Kassai found Lelio at the couple's home in Las Condes around midday on Friday and called the police. The family then announced his death on social media, saying he had died "due to health reasons" without naming a specific cause. Prosecutors are investigating the exact cause, and no further medical details have been released.

In a statement shared by Kassai, the family said: "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. As a family, we ask for respect for our privacy and consideration during this difficult time."

The announcement gave no funeral arrangements. News of the death spread quickly through the film world on Friday — Lelio was still in the middle of a new production, with Poeta Chileno shooting in Santiago when he died.

Background and Context

Lelio was born on March 8, 1974, in Mendoza, Argentina, and moved to Chile — his mother's home country — when he was two years old. He studied film at the Escuela de Cine de Chile and spent the first decade of his career making short films before his feature debut, The Sacred Family, in 2005, which he also wrote and edited.

His second film, Christmas, premiered at Cannes in 2009, and his third feature, 2011's The Year of the Tiger, explored the aftermath of the 2010 Chile earthquake. But 2013's Gloria made his name internationally: Paulina García starred as a woman in her late fifties who begins dating again, the film was Chile's submission to the Academy Awards, and García won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at Berlin.

Then came A Fantastic Woman in 2017. Daniela Vega starred as Marina, a transgender woman reeling from the sudden death of her older boyfriend. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018 — Chile's first victory in the category.

Sebastián Lelio's Films, From Gloria to The Wonder

The same year, Lelio made his first English-language film, Disobedience, an adaptation of Naomi Alderman's novel starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The following year he wrote, produced and directed Gloria Bell, a remake of Gloria starring Julianne Moore and John Turturro.

His final English-language film was 2022's The Wonder, co-written with Alice Birch and Emma Donoghue and starring Florence Pugh and Tom Burke. It earned a British Independent Film Award for its score, along with 11 other nominations at the same ceremony, including Best Director for Lelio.

Lelio's final completed project, 2025's The Wave, saw him return to Chile for his first film there since A Fantastic Woman. Inspired by the feminist strikes and protests in Chile in 2018, it premiered at Cannes. When he died, he was back in Santiago shooting Poeta Chileno, an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra's acclaimed novel.

Reactions

The family's statement was the first and fullest word on the death. Kassai, who found Lelio and shared the announcement, described him as a wonderful person who contributed to Chilean culture at important moments in its history, and asked for respect for the family's privacy. No cause beyond "health reasons" has been given, and prosecutors have opened an investigation into the exact circumstances.

Why It Matters

Lelio's death at 52 removes one of Latin America's most distinctive voices at the height of his powers. A Fantastic Woman was more than an awards success: it put a transgender woman at the centre of a mainstream, internationally honoured film, and it gave Chile its first Oscar. His films returned again and again to women at turning points, and he moved between Chilean and English-language cinema without losing the intimacy that defined his work.

He also mattered to Chile itself. His films traced the country's recent history, from the earthquake's aftermath in The Year of the Tiger to the feminist movement in The Wave, and his family said he contributed to Chilean culture "during important moments in its history." Losing him mid-film, at 52, leaves both a personal loss and a gap in the country's cinema.

What Happens Next

Prosecutors will now establish the exact cause of Lelio's death, and their findings will determine what more is said publicly about the circumstances. The family's request for privacy is likely to shape how much detail emerges, and when.

The future of Poeta Chileno is now uncertain. The film was in production in Santiago when Lelio died, and nothing has been said yet about whether shooting will continue. Funeral arrangements were not included in the family's announcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Sebastián Lelio die?

No specific cause has been named. His family said he died "due to health reasons," and prosecutors are investigating the exact cause.

How old was Sebastián Lelio?

He was 52. He was born on March 8, 1974, in Mendoza, Argentina, and died on November 6, 2026, in Santiago, Chile.

What was Sebastián Lelio best known for?

His 2017 film A Fantastic Woman, starring Daniela Vega. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018.

What Oscar did A Fantastic Woman win?

It won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, marking Chile's first victory in that category.

What film was Sebastián Lelio working on when he died?

He was filming Poeta Chileno (Chilean Poet), an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra's novel, in Santiago. It is not yet known whether production will continue.

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