Sebastián Lelio

Sebastián Lelio Watt, born on 8th March 1974, is a highly lauded Chilean director, screenwriter, editor, and producer. Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Lelio moved to Chile at a tender age of 2, marking the beginning of a 'nomadic' life. His early years were characterized by continuous movement between different cities both within and outside of Chile, up to the age of 21. His career in the film industry formally began after graduating from the Chilean Film School, where he honed skills in directing short films and music videos. This even led to co-directing Cero, a poignant documentary of the 2001 September 11 attacks in New York, and two seasons of a successful documentary series, Mi mundo privado.

Lelio's first feature film La Sagrada Familia premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, earning national and international acclaim. Subsequent films like Navidad and The Year of the Tiger followed, with the latter exploring the aftermath of the Chile earthquake of 2010. He made significant strides with Gloria, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, receiving excellent reviews. His 2018 film A Fantastic Woman made history as the first Chilean film to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Lelio's mix of improvisation, montage work, and scripts without dialogue, is an essential touch to his fictional work. He has also received the Guggenheim Fellowship and a German DAAD grant in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the film industry.