Gloria
A 58-year-old woman rediscovers love in Santiago, only to face heartbreak and reclaim her dance floor.
Gloria is a 2013 drama film produced, co-written, and directed by Sebastián Lelio, starring Paulina García as the title character. The story follows Gloria Cumplido, a 58-year-old woman in Santiago, Chile, who decides to stop spending her days alone ten years after her divorce. With her children grown up, she begins attending singles discos where she seeks romance and connection. Her journey is marked by a relationship with Rodolfo Fernández, an unreliable man seven years her senior who runs an amusement park on the city's outskirts. The film premiered at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival on February 10, 2013, earning Paulina García the Silver Bear for Best Actress.
- Character
- Gloria Cumplido
- Affiliation
- Singles Disco Attendee
- Status
- Alive (Post-Reconciliation with Self)
Lore & Background
Gloria's romantic life begins when she meets Rodolfo at a singles disco. Despite his recent divorce and reliance on two unemployed adult daughters for emotional support, they start dating immediately. A defining conflict arises from Rodolfo's inability to disconnect; he keeps his phone on constantly, answering calls from his daughters regardless of their location or activity. The tension peaks during a family birthday dinner for Gloria's son, where her ex-husband Gabriel is present. After heavy drinking, Gloria becomes overly friendly with Gabriel, causing Rodolfo discomfort. He leaves the party early to answer a call from his daughter and never returns, prompting Gloria to end the relationship the next day. Later, Rodolfo convinces Gloria to visit a luxury hotel in Viña del Mar. There, another family emergency forces him to leave again after they share an intimate moment.
In Their Own Story
At the Viña del Mar hotel, Rodolfo's phone rings continuously, but he refuses to answer it. When Gloria demands to see his device, she drops it into his soup. He excuses himself and never returns to the table. Heartbroken, Gloria drinks heavily at the bar, leading to a wild night across the casino, disco, and city streets. She wakes up on the beach with a hangover only to find Rodolfo has checked out, taking her belongings and leaving the room unavailable. Returning to Santiago by bus with her cleaning lady Victoria, Gloria retrieves one of Rodolfo's paintball guns from her trash bin. She drives to his house and splatters green paint across the front before shooting him in the groin as he arrives with groceries. His family runs out screaming obscenities as she flees. The film concludes at a wedding reception where Gloria, originally planning to attend, arrives midway through. Despite declining dance invitations, she stands when the DJ plays her theme song, "Gloria" by Umberto Tozzi, and takes to the floor, getting lost in the music.
Reader's Guide
The narrative is driven by Paulina García's performance as a 58-year-old divorcee navigating loneliness and betrayal. Key turning points include the disastrous dinner with Rodolfo, the abandoned trip to Viña del Mar, and the violent confrontation at his home. The film received critical acclaim, topping Screen International's jury poll and IndieWire's critics poll for the best films at Berlin in 2013. It holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 129 reviews with an average score of 7.9/10, and a Metacritic score of 83 from 30 critics. Sebastián Lelio later remade the film in English as Gloria Bell (2018), starring Julianne Moore and John Turturro. The original Chilean production was selected for the 86th Academy Awards but did not receive a nomination, though it won Best Ibero-American Film at the 1st Platino Awards.
Did You Know?
- Paulina García won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival.
- The film holds a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 129 reviews.
- Sebastián Lelio remade the story as Gloria Bell in 2018, starring Julianne Moore.
- Gloria's theme song is "Gloria" by Umberto Tozzi, which plays during the final dance scene.