‘Eliza Lynch Queen of Paraguay’, a part-dramatized documentary starring Maria Doyle Kennedy in the titular role, will air on RTÉ One on Thursday, January 8th at 10.15pm.
The docu-drama comes after 18 years of research by former diplomat Michael Lillis and historian professor Ronan Fanning across ten countries on the life of Eliza Lynch, a Cork woman who went on to become one of the most famous South American women in the 19th century after she entered a relationship with President Dictator of Paraguay, Francisco Solano Lopez bearing him seven children.
The film is directed by Alan Gilsenan and produced by Stuart Switzer and Dublin’s Coco Television. The project is funded by the Irish Film Board, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, RTE, and Section 481. It was shot on location in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, France, England and Ireland.
Post production took place at EMC Post Production, the colourist was Eugene McCrystal, editor was Cuan MacConghail. The DOP of the film was Richard Kendrick while Sound Mix was completed by Locky Butler.
The film was conceived following the research by Lillis and Fanning who studied local Irish sources, British Naval records, Foreign Office reports and the records of the Edinburgh Courts and juxtaposed these with South American sources amassing a bulky archive that painted a clear picture on the life of Eliza, who never married Francisco but nonetheless became his uncrowned Queen of Paraguay, sticking by him throughout the horrors of the War of 1864 until his death in the last skirmish in 1870.
‘Eliza Lynch Queen of Paraguay’ had its world premiere in Asunción Paraguay in 2013 in front of the Paraguayan President and Government together with 1200 invited guests. It has also screened in Dublin as part of the JDIFF in 2014, London as part of the London Film Festival as well as playing in festivals all over South America including Baranquila, Puerto Vallarta and Montevideo.
‘Eliza Lynch Queen of Paraguay’ will air on RTÉ One on Thursday, January 8th at 10.15pm.
