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Chilean Musical 'The Wave' Sparks Uprising
17 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Musical film inspired by feminist civil disobedience in Chile.
- Features a music student as the central figure of an uprising.
- The Wave premiered at Cannes and won at NVISION festival.

Chilean director Sebastián Lelio's musical film, 'The Wave' (La Ola), inspired by the 2018 feminist civil disobedience movement in Chile, has been acquired for North American distribution. This marks Lelio's return to filmmaking in his native Chile since his Oscar-winning 'A Fantastic Woman.' The narrative follows a music student who becomes a central figure in a university campus uprising, using protest songs and dances to challenge societal norms.
The film features Daniela López in her screen debut as the lead, with Lola Bravo, Avril Aurora, and Paulina Cortés in supporting roles. The musical score, composed by Matthew Herbert, is complemented by choreography from Ryan Heffington. Original compositions were a collaborative effort by 17 female Chilean musicians, including prominent artists like Ana Tijoux.




