PARIS: Sebastian Lelio won an Oscar and helped change Chile’s gender identity laws with one of his films. Now he tackles the scourge of fanaticism and misinformation with the help of Florence Pugh, Hollywood’s hottest young star.
Lelio achieved international acclaim in 2017 for “A Fantastic Woman,” about a transgender waitress who is devastated by the death of her boyfriend.
Not only did it win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, it sparked a debate that helped change the law in his home country of Chile, allowing people to legally change their gender. Permission was granted.
His new film “The Wonder,” which debuts Nov. 16 on Netflix, is no less important despite being set in 19th-century Ireland.
It stars Pugh — the British actor in high demand after starring in “Black Widow,” “Midsummer” and “Don’t Worry Darling” — as a nurse who takes care of a young girl. is who claims she can survive. without eating
“This is a film where rationalism is challenged,” the director told AFP. “But, fundamentally, it’s not about religion, it’s about people who claim to have found the truth and twist reality to suit their beliefs.
“They make a political use of the story, and that’s a thing these days in the age of ‘fake news,'” Lelio added.
“With the Internet, millions of people can fall into the trap of foolish beliefs…or fall under the spell of fascism, which is an effective use of storytelling.”