Manuela Sáenz 24 years old

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.

Credits

Manuela Sáenz Cast

Name Character
Mariano Álvarez He was 182, 182 years old when he died as Simón Bolívar
Erich Wildpret He was 20, now 44 years old as Herman Melville
Beatriz Valdés She was 37, now 61 years old as Manuela

Manuela Sáenz Crew

Name Department
Diego Rísquez as Director. He was 50 (68) years old when He died Directing
Leonardo Padrón as Writer. He was 40 (now 64) years old Writing
Manuela Sáenz (24 years)

  • Release day: Thursday, June 15, 2000
  • Runtime: 97 minutes