Manuela Sáenz
In 1856, a whaler arrives in Paita, Peru; on board is Herman Melville, who is astonished to learn that Manuela Sáenz, for eight years the lover of Simón Bolívar, is still alive. He calls on her, and although she will not talk to him about her life, his visit sends her to her chest of Bolívar's letters. As she reads them, the sepia-toned present gives way to flashbacks in color: she meets 'the Liberator' in 1822, becomes his lover, and also becomes a colonel in his military movement to realize the 'Gran Colombia', one nation across South America. As plague (brought by the ship) closes in on Manuela's household, so does her tempestuous story move toward Bolívar's betrayal and death.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
15 people
Diego Rísquez Director · Leonardo Padrón Writer
Worldwide gross $4.4K · United States release September 14, 2001 · Produced in Venezuela
Box office
Worldwide gross
$4,358
Production
Producciones Guakamaya
Production
Centro Nacional Autónomo de Cinematografía (CNAC) (I)
Production
Venezuela
Produced in
Languages
Original language
Spanish
Spoken on screen
Spanish
Release dates
Venezuela · June 15, 2000
Theatrical
United States · September 14, 2001
Washington, D.C.
Czechia
January 25, 2003 · Febio Film Festival
France
September 26, 2001
More from Diego Rísquez
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked Manuela Sáenz
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.