BERLINALE 2013: Chilean Film GLORIA by Sebastian Lelio

Successful night for Chilean director Sebastian Lelio! His latest movie Gloria premiered in competition at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival, and it looks that festival’s audience loved it (as we hear – it’s the most popular film so far).

And really – what’s not to love about the touching story of a middle aged woman’s quest for love and adventure?

Lelio directed this drama from a script he co-wrote with Gonzalo Maza. It tells the story of an old woman who dreams about a last love and visits singles parties. Her troubled romance with another elder Rodolfo will make her face her last years with different expectations.

Director revealed that an inspiration for the movie was his mother and her generation, which is rarely tackled in an industry obsessed with youth:

“I would say that we are all facing what Gloria is facing, but it just happens to some people sooner than others. We all face crossroads in our lives where we can retreat into ourselves or we can hit the dancefloor.”

In case you’re interested in more details about this story, here’s the official synopsis:

“Gloria is 58 and lonely. To make up for the emptiness, she fills her days with activities and at night seeks love at parties for single adults, where she only succeeds in losing herself in senseless adventures. This fragile happiness changes the day she meets Rodolfo, a recently separated 65 year-old who is obsessed with her.

But their relation suffers from Rodolfo’s unhealthy dependence on his children and his ex-wife. This relation, to which Gloria gives her all as she feels it may well be her last, finally sends her crashing into the cruel reality of the world. Gloria will have to pull herself together and find new strength to deal with the fact that she’s finally getting old.”

Gloria stars Paulina García, Sergio Hernández, Coca Guazzini and Antonia Santa María.

Stay tuned for more updates, hope we’ll soon have more images and videos to share!