‘Eliza Lynch – Queen of Paraguay’ - a feature documentary directed by renowned Irish film-maker Alan Gilsenan and partly filmed in Ireland - is to receive a private screening before the President of Paraguay this 10th April.
Maria Doyle Kennedy stars as Eliza Lynch, a Cork woman born in 1833 who fell in love with the son of the President of Paraguay while in Paris and rose to become the uncrowned ‘Queen of Paraguay’ – in a dramatic life covered in Irishmen Michael Lillis and Ronan Fanning’s acclaimed biography.
As the mother of seven of his children, Eliza stuck by her husband through countless disasters and the horrors of war, gaining an international reputation as the most famous woman in all of South America in the 19th century.
The project is now in the closing stages of post-production and was supported by the Irish Film Board, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland Sound & Vision fund, Section 481 and RTE, along with funding by Paraguayan financiers and the Paraguayan Government.
Ms Doyle Kennedy is a well-known face on Irish screens and her prolific career includes roles in 'The Commitments', 'The General', 'The Tudors' and most recently 'Downtown Abbey'.
Producer Stuart Switzer, Coco Television, said the documentary captures an epic story with themes of love, tragedy and loss, in what is one of the most intriguing and least known epic lives of modern history.
‘We were incredibly excited about this documentary. Mindful of the sensibility and emotive nature in its historic positioning, we invested considerable time working with the authors Michael and Ronan to ensure we created a piece that reflected the reality and intensity of this ultimately epic love story,’ Mr Switzer said.
‘Eliza Lynch – Queen of Paraguay’ was filmed in locations in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, France and England with the final scenes shot in Ireland this February.
Director Alan Gilsenan added: ‘It is a hugely exciting challenge and, indeed, a privilege to make a film on the life of Eliza Lynch. I sincerely hope that we can do full justice to the wonderfully complex and passionately courageous spirit of Eliza Lynch.'
Coco Productions are now in talks with a number of international studios about creating an international TV drama series based on the life of Eliza Lynch.
