
OUR LAST TANGO (Un Tango Más) 2015 DIR: Germán Kral
Argentina and Tango seem to be riding on the crest of a wave in London with Tanguera having mesmerized audiences at Sadler’s Wells, Evita on stage in the West End and now German/Argentine Germán Kral’s new film ‘Our Last Tango (…
Embrace of the Serpent dir. Ciro Guerra
Ciro Guerra’s El abrazo de la serpiente/Embrace of the Serpent takes you on a journey into the deep Colombian Amazon, in principle with two white explorers who are in search for the sacred, psychedelic yakruna plant. Though…
Things That Matter to...Yilian Cañizares
With two acclaimed albums, 2013's self-produced 'Ochumare' and 2015's 'Invocación', Yilian Cañizares is considered one of the most exciting and innovative jazz musicians of her generation. This young…
Things That Matter to...La Chica
Uniting Paris Belleville and Merida, Sophie Fustec was born in Paris to a French father and Venezuelan mother. Between visits to Merida, Sophie studied violin and then piano, for 13 years in the conservatory and then sound…
'La Llorona' Chavela Vargas (Milan records)
A finely curated “best of” and a great introduction to the world of the iconic ranchera singer.
Mexican Black Bean and Chorizo Empanadas
Such is each Latin American country's claim over this cherished delicacy, one could argue for the need of an international empanada convention. Originally introduced to Mexico by Cornish miners in the 19th Century, empanadas…
Remembering Rodolfo Aicardi
Blessed with an unusual voice, which exuded passion and raw emotion, an era of great songs that connected with audiences every day lives, and a magnetic charisma, Rodolfo Aicardi was one of Colombia’s biggest Cumbia stars of the…
The Modern Face of Fado
With a recent sold out performance at Cadogan Hall and fans including Mick Jagger and Caetano Veloso, public demand has already booked Ana Moura's return to the Barbican in September. Latinolife talks to Portugal's new…
Films To Watch Before You Die #8 - Strawberry and Chocolate (Fresas y Chocolate) Cuba 1993
In celebration of LGBT History Month, we remember one of the most memorable queer films in Latin American film history. Strawberry and Chocolate is a delightful 1993 film by Cuban directors Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos…
Five Reasons To Love....Almodovar's Sex Fetishes
Internationally acclaimed director Pedro Almodovar, who released his latest film I'm So Excited in 2013, has demonstrated he is an all-embracing, multi-faceted film-maker to say the least. Combining elements of comedy and…
The Uribe Legacy: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
In his eight years as president Álvaro Uribe changed Colombia. But was it all for the best?
Ricardo Cinalli’s “ A Ravishing Muse – An Irreverent Homage to Picasso”
Ricardo Cinalli (born on April 3rd 1948) is a renowned Argentine artist, known for a neo-Classical approach to his painting. Focusing largely on the human figure he has created a style of his own with remarkable drawing skills.…
Films to Watch Before You Die #6 – 'La Historia Oficial' by Luis Puenzo
Only Memory Remains – Desaparecidos, Bourgeoisie and Memory in 1983 Argentina
Esteban's Colombian Pandebonos
Medellín-born Esteban Arboleda runs Colombian Street Kitchen and since August he's been wowing guests and visitors to Green Rooms hotel in Wood Green with his authentic Colombian Street Food dishes. He's halfway through…
A Guide to Santiago de Chile: Avocados, the Andes and Coffee with legs
I have finally found the perfect spot, on the second story patio of Café Literario, overlooking Parque Bustamente, one of Santiago de Chile's many hidden green gems, where one can momentarily escape the relentless city…
Our Favourite Latin Christmas Songs
Christmas is a universal celebration, but the feelings it generates is different for every culture and every country, by the music we listen to, the food we eat, our idiosyncratic festive habits. Every December in the UK, when…
Modern (yet Unashamedly Macho) Malambo
A fiery, young, and scintillating take on traditional Argentine malambo dance, Malevo is a dance troupe based in Buenos Aires, seeking inspiration from the malambo dance, originally from the Pampas plains. Wowing audiences across…
'Britain and the Dictatorships of Argentina and Chile' by Grace Livingstone
Ask anyone active in the British left during the 1970s and 1980s and they are likely to remember stories about Chile: Hawker Hunter jets bombing the presidential palace, the murderous Pinochet regime (1973-1990), Chilean refugees…
El Pirata's 'Black Rice'
From one of London's oldest and finest Spanish restaurants, El PIrata's head chef Rosendo Simbana, divulges the secrets of his signature dish
The Juanes Mash Up
The Colombian music landscape has transformed dramatically over the last 10 years, with reggaetón becoming the new pop, but one Medellín rockero has transcended all trends and remains as relevant today doing the music he loves.…
Clementina, Where Are You?
In Brazil, Cinderella has a different name - Clementina. Clementina de Jesus worked for decades as a maid before being discovered, at the age of 62, by a record producer and composer named Herminio Bello de Carvalho. With the…
The Height of Fun in Gran Canaria's Off-Peak Season
As we all know by now, you can save big money by traveling to a summery locale in the off-peak months of the year. For some places that may mean compromising a bit of warmth, or risking the chance of rain. Not so with Gran…
10 Love Songs to play your Valentine
To be honest, we could make a hundred lists of Latino love songs, indeed we have, so this year we decided to put it out to the public. Here is what we got for the Valentine's Playlist 2023!
The Rise of Female Mexican Filmmaking
Mexican filmmaker Lorena Valencia’s “DANDELION” (Cuanacaquilitl) recently won the top prize at the recent ‘16 Days 16 Films’ competition. ‘Esperanza’ and ‘A Very Nice Guy’, also directed by Mexican female directors, featured…
Maison Cachua by Fernando Montaño
Former Royal Ballet dancer and Colombian dance megastar Fernando Montaño launches new bespoke luxury fashion brand
Brazilian Sweet Chilli Sauce
I have never been a fan of regular store-bought sweet chilli sauce. Store versions have a funny taste, and the colouring and preservatives put me off. It's true that you can find some better quality 'natural'…
Reclaiming Tango: an interview with Maia Castro
Quality and passion never go out of fashion and the wonder of tango is that, though one of the most traditional music genres in Latin America, it keeps evolving and producing new and exciting singers. One of those is singer-…
LATIN LONDONER #17: Juliano Fiori - rugby player
If anyone epitomises the uniqueness and strength that comes from being bi-cultural it is Juliano Fiori. Not only is he a West Londoner who is playing rugby for Brazil in the Olympics, but to do so, he’s had to juggle a full time…
Things we love about....El Sistema
El Sistema is a Venezuelan musical organisation that has inspired many from the poorest neighborhoods of the Andean Region. The system watches over Venezuela's 125 youth orchestras and is a voluntary group. Some 370,000…
Brazil's Antonio Társis wins the VIA Arts Prize 2019
Bahiano ANTONIO TÁRSIS from Brazil has won the 2019 VIA Prize out of a record total of 402 submissions. His large and colourful collage is built up from fragments of fruit boxes from all parts of the world, that he meticulously…
Macedonio Fernandez - The Non-Believer's Belief
This week it is sixty years since the death of Macedonio Fernández, the Argentine writer and philosopher, who Jorge Luis Borges admitted he imitated ‘to the point of devoted and impassioned plagiarism.’ Yet virtually nothing is…
Latin Things to Do with Kids
There’s always something exciting to do in London, but it gets a bit tricky when it comes to finding things in Spanish for kids or to inspire them about their culture! So we’ve put together a list of great things to do with the…
Things You Should Know About...Zeca Padoginho
The fiesta front man with a Rio samba inspired sound, Zeca Pagodinho is one of Brazil’s best loved artists, embodying the free, easy-going Carioca spirit. “Probably the only one who didn't sell for cheesy samba,"…
Films to Watch Before You Die #5: 'Palomita Blanca' by Raúl Ruiz
CHILE IN VIEW - Palomita Blanca (Little White Dove) A teenage love affair in times of civil unrest and military dictatorship. Our fifth entry of “Latin American films you should watch before you die” is one of the most…
Uncovering B.Léza - Cesaria Evora’s songwriter
Few people had heard of Cabo Verde, an arc of islands off the coast of Senegal, until Cesária Évora put them on the map. B. Leza is one of the most important composers in the history of Cabo Verde, and anyone who knows Cesária…