Sebastián Lelio Dies at 52: Family Mourns Oscar-Winning Director, Citing Health Issues

Sebastián Lelio, the Chilean filmmaker whose drama A Fantastic Woman won the Academy Award for best foreign language film, has died aged 52. His family announced his death on Friday, 6 November 2026, in a statement shared on Instagram by his partner, actress Amalia Kassai.

The family said Lelio had died 'for health reasons' but did not identify an illness or disclose a specific cause. It also asked for privacy as relatives mourned the director.

Chilean media reported that Lelio was found dead at his home in Las Condes, Santiago. Prosecutors ordered investigative procedures, and Chile's Investigations Police assigned its Homicide Brigade to examine the circumstances. No official cause of death has been announced.

'With great sadness, we announce the death of Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio due to health reasons,' the family statement said in Spanish. It described him as 'a beautiful person' who contributed to Chilean culture.

The Associated Press also reported his death, confirming that the family cited health reasons without specifying a cause. Lelio had recently begun filming Poeta Chileno, an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra's 2020 novel. No announcement about the production's future had been made.

The Associated Press also reported his death, confirming that the family cited health reasons without specifying a cause. Lelio had recently begun filming Poeta Chileno, an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra's 2020 novel. No announcement about the production's future had been made.

How Sebastián Lelio Made Oscars History for Chile

A Fantastic Woman won the 2018 Academy Award for best foreign language film, now known as best international feature film. It was Chile's first win in that category and its second Academy Award overall, after the animated short Bear Story won in 2016.

Starring Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman follows Marina, a transgender woman whose partner dies suddenly. She faces hostility from his relatives and scrutiny from authorities while defending her right to mourn. The film had earlier won the Silver Bear for best screenplay at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.

The Associated Press reported that Lelio was born in Mendoza, Argentina, and moved to Chile aged two.

Sebastián Lelio's Career Beyond a Fantastic Woman

His 2013 film Gloria starred Paulina García as a middle-aged woman seeking love and independence. García won the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival. Lelio later revisited the story in Gloria Bell, casting Julianne Moore.

His English-language films included Disobedience, starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams, and The Wonder, featuring Florence Pugh. These projects brought his work to wider audiences without abandoning his interest in intimate human stories.

One of his later films was The Wave, also known as La ola. The musical screened in the Cannes Premiere section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Inspired by Chile's 2018 feminist student protests, it used music and choreography to explore opposition to sexual harassment and abuse.

Lelio's earlier features included La sagrada familia, Navidad and El año del tigre. Across his films, he repeatedly explored grief, desire, discrimination and the expectations placed on women.

Kassai later shared a personal tribute on Instagram. 'I love you in this life and all the ones to come,' she wrote, according to Chilean broadcaster Cooperativa. She thanked people for their support but said she was not in a position to respond.

The family's request for privacy remains central as the investigation continues. Lelio leaves behind films that carried Chilean stories to international audiences.