Oscar-winning filmmaker Sebastián Lelio dies at 52

Oscar-winning Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio has died at the age of 52 in Santiago, Chile, on Friday.

His family confirmed his death in a post on Instagram but did not disclose the specific cause, saying he had died due to health complications.

Lelio was best known for directing the 2017 film A Fantastic Woman, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018. The film starred transgender actress Daniela Vega as a waitress and nightclub singer who faces personal and social challenges following the death of her partner.

The Oscar win marked Chile's second Academy Award. The country's first came in 2016 for the animated short film Bear Story.

Other notable films directed by Lelio include Gloria, The Wave, The Wonder, Disobedience and The Year of the Tiger. He also worked with international stars including Julianne Moore, Rachel Weisz and Florence Pugh.

Before his death, Lelio had begun filming Poeta Chileno (Chilean Poet) in September, based on a book by Chilean author Alejandro Zambra.

Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Lelio moved to Chile with his family at the age of two. He initially studied journalism for a year before enrolling at the Chilean Film School.

- MaT