Gloria

★★★★ 'a rare blend of subtle, sexually frank and smartly crowd-pleasing, with a drop-dead performance from Paulina García' The Telegraph 
★★★★ Time Out

Possibly the most highly-praised film at this year's Berlin Film Festival, Gloria stars Paulina García as a 58-year-old Chilean trying to make the most of her freedom as a divorcee – energetically clubbing, drinking a little too much, putting herself before her family, but inwardly hoping to find romance for perhaps one last time. Out dancing one night she meets the more recently divorced Rodolfo (Herndández), who seems to share the same hunger for new life and new love – but he isn’t quite what he seems.

Subtly dominating every scene in this vibrant and compassionate film, seasoned TV actress Paulina García delivers a mesmerising performance as the titular heroine, one moment achingly vulnerable, the next confidently resilient.

Lelio’s script, co-written with regular collaborator Gonzalo Maza, also posts sly observations on Chile’s acquisitive middle classes and their moral impotence, but García’s performance alone is reason enough to see this Berlin Festival multi-award winner.