Chilean actress Paulina García (pictured) won the Silver Bear as Best Actress for her work in Sebastián Lelio's Gloria in the 63rd edition of the Berlin International Film Festival.
García becomes the first Chilean and fifth Latin American actress to be awarded with the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlinale, after Brazilian actresses Marcélia Cartaxo (Hour of the Star) in 1986, Ana Beatriz Nogueira (Vera) in 1987, Fernanda Montenegro (Central do Station) in 1998, and Colombian actress Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) in 2004.
Lelio's film, which was the only Latin American film in the official competition, had a wide critical acclaim after its world premiere at the German festival. Hollywood Reporter called it "Funny, melancholy and ultimately uplifting", "Richly funny, mordant comedy-drama" described it The Telegraph, while indieWIRE hailed it as "touching and a breakthrough for star Paulina García."
The Chilean film also won two independent prizes, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury as well as the prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas. Lelio's fourth feature film has been acquired for U.S. distribution by Roadside Attractions for an anticipated release this fall.
Other Latin American winners at the Berlinale include Brazilian film Hélio Oiticica made by Cesar Oiticica Filho, which won the FIPRESCI and Caligari prizes, and Bruno Barreto's Reaching for the Moon, also from Brazil, which won the second place of the Panorama Audience Award.
