Login
Eliza Lynch: Queen of Paraguay (2013)
When Brazil won the war against Paraguay in 1870, they spared the life, but not the reputation of the woman they claimed was the chief villain in the bloodshed. Irish-born Eliza Lynch, lifetime partner of dictator Francisco Solano López, was painted by Brazil as a puppet master, thief and whore, and in 1991 included alongside Lucretia Borgia and Catherine the Great in a book entitled The World’s Wickedest Women. In Paraguay, the country where she lived as a beloved uncrowned queen, she is a national heroine. Fascinated by the contradiction, Irish academics Michael Lillis and Ronan Fanning embarked on 18 years of research to write a biography which forms the basis of Alan Gilsenan’s unique and compassionate documentary. Blending interviews with re-enactments of Eliza’s life – wonderfully performed by actress Maria Doyle – Gilsenan thoughtfully breathes humanity into a portrait of a much maligned woman.
Updated May 29 2020
Cast
Leryn Franco
Crew
Alan Gilsenan
Director
Alan Gilsenan
Writer
Stuart Switzer
Producer
If you liked this then you may like:
355887
355888
355889
355891
355892
355894
355899
355900
355903
355905
355920
355921
355976
355977
355979
355980
355981
355985
355987
356003
356010
356011
356015
356032
356043
356044
356045
356047
356060
356061
356063
356064
356113
356123
356198
356223
356227
356233
356234
356236
356247
356276
356279
356294
356304
356317
356323
356324
356325
356329