
Celluloid Colonialism
Felipe Gálvez’s much-anticipated directorial debut, ‘The Settlers’, deals with a taboo topic in Chile’s official history - the genocide of the Selk’nam people in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost part of South America, at the…
Spanish in Spain ¿pan comido? Think again
Just when you think you’ve mastered the textbook basics, reality rudely interrupts with slang to turn those so useful words on their head. Throw away those textbooks! Here is your alternative guide to what you thought were the…
“Happiness is a Myth"
In his book 'You are not Meant to be Happy, so stop Trying' Basque psychiatrist Dr Rafa Euba argues that happiness is merely an ethereal ghost that inhabits our brain, not something to strive for. Released in these…
Spain's Film Intellectual: interview with Ramon Luque
A lover of Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman, Spanish director Ramon Luque is a great Film intellectual, known just as much for his nine books than for the three films that he's made. His latest film, the critically acclaimed…
ROJO (2018) Dir Benjamin Naishtat
“Sometime people participate by taking action but sometimes they act through omission.” Set in Argentina during the 1970s and early 1980s, this psychological thriller questions another dark side of the period of military…
El Mensaje (The Message 2025) by Argentine director Iván Fund
Nominated for the Golden Bear Best Film at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, this gentle thoughtful film had its world premiere in Berlin, with powerful and understated performances by all three leads, Anika Bootz,…
Seeing Latin America
Passionate about promoting Latin American Art, independent art advisor and curator Sandra Higgins opened her own gallery to do it. Latinolife went to talk to a woman on a mission.
Hugo Brazão- The VIA Arts Prize winner 2018–Madeiran zing shines in London
Out of 200 entries, the talented Madeiran artist HUGO BRAZÃO has won the 2018 VIA Arts Prize (Visual Ibero-American Arts) with Graham Guy-Robinson as runner up. The 30 finalist’s works are now on show in the stunning ‘Sala Brasil…
The Isolation Film List
You may have missed them first time around in the cinema, but here’s ten relatively recent Latin-American films available online to watch in isolation – you won’t be disappointed!
SUJO (2024) by creative Mexican duo Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez
With ‘SUJO,’ a cartel drama, award-winning writer/directors Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez bring a new slant to the ‘shadow of violence’ that haunts Mexico to the 2024 BFI London Film Festival.
MAGDALENA, TE AMO (2024) by Andrea Calao
‘Magdalena, Te Amo’ (2024) is a moving short film about student sex workers in New York. Premiered at the New York Latino Film Festival, it has also been longlisted for the 2024 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards.
‘Sully Night’ at the DARC Collective
‘Drawing is metaphysical striptease’ says Chilean artist Pato Bosich, one of three artists including Raul Pina Pérez and Jorge Rojas Goldsack, exploring the practice and experience of “Drawing.”
LOS TALLOS AMARGOS (1956) by Argentine Fernando Ayala
“There are fools in Germany, fools in France and fools in Argentina.” Cine Lumière screens a classic cult film noir from the Golden Age of Argentine cinema, 'Los Tallos Amargos' (1956) directed by Fernando Ayala.
'JULIETA' (Dir. Pedro Almodóvar)
Almodovar's ‘Julieta’ marks a change in the iconic director’s well-known style
Things You Should Know About... Day of the Dead
There is still a commonly held view that ‘Day of the Dead’ is Mexico’s ‘Halloween,’ that everyone dresses up as skelatons, and it is truly scary, therefore unsuitable for children. 'Dia de Los Muertos' is in fact a…
SURVIVE - SOBREVIVIR
Denisse Vargas -Bolaños is a Bolivian poet and writer. She is a member of the feminist literary collective Las Juanas and SLAP (Spanish and Latin American Poets and Writers). She was also part of the Invisible Presence Project.…
Colour Conscience
Carlos Jacanamijoy is a Colombian artist from the town of Santiago, Putumayo. A well known figure in contemporary Colombian art, at 50-years of age, he has just exhibited his first ever show in London at The Sandra Higgins Art…
LATIN LONDONER #8 BIanca Jagger - Style Diva and Human Rights Activist
A ‘one off’, a glamorous Latin American who has poured her passion and pride into doing the right thing; an example of Latin American solidarity personified.
Futuro Beach (2014) Dir. Karim Aïnouz
Shot in 2012 in Brazil and Germany, Futuro Beach touches on the themes of expatriation, nostalgia and family links. Its contemplative tone offers an impactful and realistic sense of time passing by. Futuro Beach is now out on DVD.
It Is Not The Virus
Mabel Encinas is a Mexican artist and poet based in London, member of the Hispano-American Women Writers on Memory, who is also a senior lecturer in higher education in the UK. Writing and art has allowed her to process her…
Only Room for One Latin Diva?
Ever since Yanet Fuentes, the only Latin American ever to grace the UK’s prime-time talent shows, left the BBC’s 'So You Think You Can Dance', the blogosphere has been awash with outrage at judge Sisco Gomez's…
Hecho a Mano: A Celebration of Textiles
Spanning across three quarters of a century and eight countries, Hecho a Mano at Cecilia Brunson Projects celebrates, commemorates and interrogates the past and present of textiles as a creative medium.
"The Gallery Will Be Fumigated of Art"
Finally getting a well-merited solo show at the prestigious Richard Saltoun Gallery in Dover St., Paolo Bruscky, one of Brazil’s most important and influential contemporary artists, talks to Corina J Poore about his challenging…
‘MY IMAGINARY COUNTRY’ 2022, by Chilean director Patricio Guzmán
“When you want to film a fire, you have to be ready to be where the flames will first appear”. (Chris Marker) Chilean director Patricio Guzmán has created a moving documentary film, ‘My Imaginary Country’ in which he records the…
ORDINARY TIME (Tempo Común) Dir. Susana Nobre
A contemplative and minimalist film that reveals a moving life cycle as it delves into the lives of a young couple and their daughter during her first year of life. A quiet study of parenthood with a gentle intimacy and subtle…
Collective Monologues (2024) by Jessica Sarah Rinland
‘Wednesdays are a day of rest in the zoo’. Not for the visitors or the carers, but for the animals. Anglo-Argentine Rinland gazes into the finer, intimate life of zoos and rescue centres across Argentina, making it a sensual…
PATIENT ( Paciente) DIR Jorge Cabellero
Patient, which had its British Premiere in the ‘Debate’ section of the 60th London Film festival, is a sensitive and deeply moving documentary by Colombian director Jorge Caballero. The film takes us on a journey as we accompany…
WHERE TO PARTY - The Ultimate Guide to Cocktails and Dancing
There's nothing quite like a Latin party, with rhythms flowing and ladies glowing. But where can you find the Real Latin Thing? Here’s our definitive directory of London’s best Latin drinks and club nights.
Imagining Orwell
Award-winning Uruguayan photo-journalist Julio Etchart is one of the UK’s best known documentary photographers covering news, social and environmental issues for the international press and NGOs. His latest project is a…
COSMIC CONNECTIONS
Patricia Diaz describes herself as a migrant storyteller, for she has lived longer in London than in her native Colombia. Her debut novel ‘The Golden Bat’ touches on the tragic events of the 1985 Nevado del Ruiz volcano eruption…
'City of a Thousand Trades', 'Imminent' and the 'Chacona'
Consisting of a 3 piece performance, including the works 'City of a Thousand Trades', 'Imminent', and the 'Chacona', a new piece curated by Carlos Acosta, this enjoyable and thought-provoking triple…
Black Horses Are Massive - A Striking Tribute and Work of Power
Black Horses Are Massive, written by Bárbara Esmenia Rãé, showed as a reading for one night only at the Royal Court as part of their International Programme. Set in a Brazilian prison, this play was written in response to the…
A Fantastic Woman (2017) DIR: Sebastian Lelio
Last week's Oscar winner for Foreign Language FIlm, this deeply moving film about love, sorrow and the resilience of the human spirit, will have you feeling like rushing into the film to help.