The Wave (La Ola), the new feature film by Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, will be screened in the Cannes Première selection at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival before its release in French theaters on November 5, 2025. Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018 for A Fantastic Woman, Lelio continues his exploration of contemporary women's struggles through a story that is both intimate and political.
The film stars Amparo Noguera, Nestor Cantillana, and Amalia Kassai in a dramatic musical comedy inspired by the major feminist student protests in Chile. Combining emotion, collective energy, and choreographed sequences, The Wave explores the liberating power of speech and solidarity.
Spring 2018, a series of feminist protests ignites Chilean universities. Julia, a music student, joins the movement to denounce the harassment and abuse suffered by female students. By sharing a personal memory, she unwittingly becomes a central figure in the fight. Her testimony triggers a wave of emotion and revolt that shakes Chilean society.
The Wave stands out for its unique form: a socially consciousmusical, punctuated by song and dance sequences that illustrate the power of collective struggle. The film tackles universal themes—justice, free speech, sisterhood—through the sensitive and energetic direction characteristic of Sebastián Lelio's cinema.
The Wave
Film | 2025
In theaters November 5, 2025
Comedy-drama, Musical | Running time: 2h09
By Sebastián Lelio | Starring Daniela López, Lola Bravo, Avril Aurora
Original title: La Ola
Nationality: Chile
The Wave combines emotion, music, and social engagement to offer a vibrant portrait of youth and freedom in contemporary Chile.
To extend your theater experience, check out November's new releases, films to see right now, and our selection of comedy-dramas of the year.
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