Women of a certain age – and pretty much everybody else at this year’s Berlinale – warmed instinctively to García’s Silver Bear performance of middle-aged vigour. Things tend to point downwards now, but the 50-something divorcée keeps her head up, singing along to the car radio as she cruises Santiago, groovin’ in singles bars and takin’ a chance on ex officer Rudolfo. Lauding more than female liberation, Lélio’s film is testament to surviving Pinochet and finding the courage to find a new life.
Gloria | Directed by Sebastián Lelio (Chile, Spain 2012) with Pauline García, Sergio Hernández. Starts Aug 8
Originally published in Issue #118, July/August 2013