Last night 5pm PST the 90th Academy Awards began at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Gonzalo Maza, an MA Screenwriting alumnus of London Film School, was in attendance for ‘Una Mujer Fantástica’s nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. The film, nominated for the Golden Globes in the same category, had already won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the 2017 Berlinale Film Festival, Best Foreign Language Film at the Goya Awards and Best Foreign Language Film at the Independent Spirit Awards.
'Una Mujer Fantástica’, otherwise known as 'A Fantastic Woman', follows Marina Vidal, a trans-woman grieving the death of her partner. The film took home the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film over Ruben Östlund’s Palme d'Or winner, The Square and Ildikó Enyedi's Golden Bear winner, On Body and Soul.
(From left, Sebastián Lelio, Daniela Vega, and Gonzalo Maza, accepting the Silver Bear at 2017's Berlinale)
Maza, the screenwriter behind the film, graduated from London Film School’s 2017 MA Screenwriting course. He has previously collaborated on 2013’s Gloria with Una Mujer Fantástica’s director Sebastián Lelio. Una Mujer Fantástica's was from the producers of 'Jackie' and 'Toni Erdmann'.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw has given 'Una Mujer Fantástica’ a five star review and described it as, “a sublime study in the exalted ordeal of grief.” 'Una Mujer Fantástica' is currently being screened across London.
(Film still from Sebastián Lelio's 'A Fantastic Woman'. Director of Photography Benjamín Echazarreta)
About UNA MUJER FANTÁSTICA (2017)
Director: Sebástian Lelio
Writers: Sebástian Lelio, Gonzalo Maza
Stars: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 104 minutes
Trailer