The Santiago Film Festival wrapped its proceedings with a somber tone following the unexpected death of acclaimed Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio on November 6. Lelio, known for directing the Oscar-winning film “A Fantastic Woman,” had maintained close ties to the festival since its inception. In response to his passing, festival organizers cancelled the red carpet portions of both the industry and festival closing ceremonies held on November 6 and 7. Festival director Carlos Nuñez and Sanfic Industria head Gabriela Sandoval expressed their grief publicly, noting that Lelio’s films would endure as his legacy. The National Film Library announced it would remain open for those wishing to pay respects over the weekend. Lelio had been in the midst of filming an adaptation of Alejandro Zambra’s novel “Chilean Poet” and was in pre-production on “Voyagers,” which was to star Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Despite the somber circumstances, the festival announced its prize winners across multiple categories. Among nine Chilean films in competition, the Best Picture award went to documentary “Monguen,” directed by the late Antonio Caro, who had also died unexpectedly during the film’s production. Nuñez highlighted the work’s exploration of Mapuche culture and marginalized communities rarely represented in Chilean cinema. Thomas Woodroffe received Best Chilean Director honors for his debut feature “Erratics,” which features French actor Denis Lavant as a filmmaker’s ghost released from a glacier in a futuristic Patagonia. Paulina Garcia accepted the Best Actress award for “Love is the Monster,” paying tribute to Lelio during the ceremony.
In the international competition, Paraguayan filmmaker Marcelo Martinessi’s historical drama “Narciso” won Best Feature. The film, based on a novel by Guido Rodríguez Alcalá, tells the story of a Paraguayan LGBT rock star found dead at the height of his career, examining Asunción society during the Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship through music and art. The Best Short award went to Ariel Amor’s “Reina de Puerto,” set in Valparaiso and depicting a relationship between a 60-year-old trans woman and a young drifter.
The festival reported encouraging attendance figures, with organizers noting a 10-15 percent increase over previous years, with final attendance between 35,000 and 40,000 visitors. The Sanfic Industria section distributed numerous awards across multiple categories and projects in development, with several films receiving recognition for their originality and cultural significance within Latin American cinema.
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