At a Glance

Natalie Portman plays the muse of artist Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgard) in this 18th century drama. Portman's character undergoes a tortuous time as she is accused of heresy and tortured by a brutal monk.

Detailed Information

In 1792 in Spain, amidst the turmoil of the French Revolution, renowned painter Francisco Goya (Skarsgard), painter to the Royal Family, becomes embroiled in the Spanish Inquisition after his beautiful and innocent muse Ines (Portman) is arrested for being a heretic. Accused of practicing Jewish rituals, she is taken away from her family and tortured, left to perish alone in the murky dungeons of the Holy Office. Goya begs for her life to be spared through his old friend Lorenzo, a power-hungry monk who is spearheading the revival of the Inquisition, but to no avail - Lorenzo is shamed and banished from Spain, leaving Ines trapped.

Years pass, and Goya, Ines and Lorenzo are now thrown together again when the French invade Spain and free prisoners of the Inquisition - including a disturbed and frail Ines. Goya, who has become deaf, stumbles upon his muse as she is freed and makes it his aim to help the poor, maddened girl to find the daughter she gave birth to in the darkness of her dungeon fifteen years ago.

Running time - 113 minutes approx.