Film review: Gloria (15)

Sebastián Lelio, 110mins. Starring: Paulina García, Sergio Hernández

Chilean actor Paulina García deservedly won a Best Actress award at this year's Berlin Festival for her exuberant, warm-hearted performance as Gloria, a divorcee in late middle age who still has an extraordinary lust for life.

She dances, smokes dope, gambles, drinks, has sex and refuses to be knocked back by life's adversities.

Her vigour is matched by that of the director Sebastián Lelio, who makes what could have been just another ponderous family drama about a mid-life crisis very high spirited and enjoyable indeed.