A Passion for Piazzolla
Astor Piazzolla has inspired many artists around the world, none more so than Ann Liebeck, creator of Violetta's Last Tango, the opera dance drama that premiered in Wilton’s Music Hall in 2017 and is streamed tonight. Here…
Truth or Illusion?
The unusual tale of a commune in the south of Chile takes us on an unexpected journey.It is based on a true story that immediately suggests that upsetting developments may take place, as indeed they do. Produced by the creative…
Escocesa
A marriage made in heaven as Spain 'a la Escocesa' finds its niche in Stoke Newington
COCO (2017) Dir.Lee Unkrich
A gorgeously animated 3D musical fantasy, based on an original idea of Lee Unkrich, and directed by him, ‘Coco’ is up there with the best of Pixar Animation Studios, and in the process manages to shed Hollywood’s tired old…
Tropical Mince Pies
These Tropical Mince Pies are guaranteed to impress your guests as you proudly tell them that they use pure Latin flavours. No apples or raisins in these! Mango replaces the apple and an assortment of dried tropical fruit…
Daddy Yankee performs @ 02 Arena
London provided an electric atmosphere at The 02 but the performance by the King of Reggaetón didn't do it justice, says Abhijit Kapadia
Chakana - Michelin Standard Peruvian in London Fields
Could Chakana be London's best Peruvian restaurant? More than just another on-trend eating house in the capital, Amaranta Wright finds world class cuisine from the Inca nation in the heart of Hackney
Good Manners (2017) Challenging Motherhood in São Paolo
Set in São Paolo, Good Manners (2017) explores the relentlessness, chaos and fraught nature of motherhood in a drama that blurs the edges between fantasy and horror. Corina Poore talks to its directors Marco Dutra and Juliana…
Mexican Maverick
Striking gold in 2018 with his diamond-certified hit ‘Fuentes de Ortiz’, Latin Grammy-winning 21-year-old Mexican, Eduardo Hernández Saucedo, also known as Ed Maverick, became one of Latin America’s most in-demand talents…
Colombian Cumbia Tracks
New York's DJ Bongohead, pioneering graphic designer, artist, DJ, writer and percussionist, has compiled collections for labels like World Music Network, Nascente, Fania, and Vapisoul. He has designed album covers and…
Argentina's strange brand of nationalism
Argentine nationalistic fervour rests on symbol and myth. This can be impossibly romantic – or eerily macabre. We look at the strange phenomenon of Argentine national fervour from Perón to the present day
Albums from Central American Artists we Love
Central America has a rich tapestry of musical styles shaped by its deep history and diverse cultural heritage. From indigenous rhythms to African, European, and mestizo influences, the music of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala,…
THE FABULOUS QUINTEROS
In most families, being a world class musician would be the pride of the family, but if you belong to the Quinteros of San Agustín, Caracas, it is merely fulfilling the duty of a long line of stellar musicians. Amaranta Wright…
Being Samba
In his love letter to Samba, Vinicius Mariano de Carvalho , declares its importance to Brazilian identity and explores what it means to embrace this art form in all its simplicity and complexity.
New Kid on the Block Enthralls with his Films
Chino Moya's ‘Undergods’ (2020) is an impressive sci-fi thriller opera prima that reveals much talent. It is a good omen that the Ridley Scott Creative Group have been supporting this production throughout, allowing Moya and…
Oriximiná: Quilombolas vs The Mines
In Oriximiná, a municipality in the northern state of Pará, traditional people see their lands being invaded by mining, under the conniving gaze of the authorities
She Who Demands the Stage
Diva is the Latin word for goddess and Cuban-Spanish singer, Lucy Calcines, became just that when her performance on The Voice UK in 2020 raised the studio to its feet, got four judges turning and became the most streamed…
Crossed Off the Map: A Writer Beguiled by Bolivia
Since leaving a desk job at the Evening Standard 15 years ago, Shafik Meghji has authored and co-authored over 40 guidebooks and visited all seven continents, but when it came to his first full-length travel narrative it was…
Emotional challenges for a Colombian immigrant in the UK
Santi (2021) is a 10-minute short film directed by up-and-coming talent Harry Richards. He talks to Latino Life about the film and its inception, and explains that the short is a taster for what will become a 90-minute feature…
Gluten Free Alfajores
Alfajores are an Argentinian institution and an “accidentally Gluten-Free” offering from the land of absurdly attractive polo players. Made from cornflour these little morsels are two biscuits (aka cookies) sandwiched together,…
The Latin Momentum: the Story of The LUKAS
The Latin UK Awards, known affectionately as the LUKAS, was launched 7 years ago to recognize the impact of Latin culture in the UK. Today it is Europe’s only Latin Entertainment Awards ceremony and its widest-reaching Latin…
German Cornejo's Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need to get you through those times of despair? Our castaway, German Cornejo, choreographer and lead dancer of the smash hit dance show Tango Fire, is…
Brazil: The Danger of a Bolsonarista Coup
João Cezar de Castro Rocha, a professor in comparative literature at the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), has been studying what he calls the ‘cultural war’ waged by Bolsonaro and his followers. The fruit of this…
Paradise City
Inspired by ten years living as a teacher in Brazil, Paradise City is the debut crime novel from Joe Thomas, which delves deep into the underworld of São Paulo. Here the author writes about the people and places, the violence and…
Pastelón - Plantain Lasagna
Plantain Lasagne is the perfect food combo, sweet & salty and best of all low-cal compared to a typical lasagne. In this recipe, which originates in Puerto Rico, thin layers of tasty plantain replace the layers of pasta…
SUBLIME (2022) Dir. Mariano Baisin
A beautifully understated Argentinian coming-of-age drama starring Martin Miller and Teo Inama Chiabrando and directed by Mariano Biasin.
The Politicisization of Venezuelan Culture
Gloria Carnevali, Venezuelan Cultural attaché 1995-2006, says Chavez' cultural policy poses both benefits and dangers to Venezuelan culture.
LATIN LONDONER #56 - Gledys Ibarra, Actor
A powerhouse of Venezuelan TV, Gledys Ibarra was the first Afro-Latina to achieve superstar status as a telenovela actor. With a career spanning continents and genres - from teenage boy pinup in South America to US fantasy in…
LATIN LONDONER # 13 Eddy Vents - Kizomba teacher
Eddy Vents has been surrounded by Lusophone music from the early childhood. His undoubted passion for kizomba and exceptional teaching skills has made him a winner of the award for Kizomba Teacher of the Year in 2014. This is his…
KAROL G AT THE 02 ARENA
Colombia’s Leading Lady performed in London’s largest arena and made sure no one in the crowd left the venue without a smile on their face.
'Paella' by Omar Allibhoy
In his self-confessed love letter to Valencia, Chef Omar Allibhoy unveils his passion for Spain's national dish along with insider knowledge and tips you need to produce a perfect panful of glorious tastes and textures,…
Bacalhoada do Christiano (Christiano's Bacalhoada)
Easter and the onset of spring means only one thing in Brazil...eating Salt Cod! The practice of salting and drying cod has been around for 500 years and is said to have been discovered by the Vikings, who used the method to…
Señor Ceviche
Carnaby Street, the funky epicenter of the swinging sixties, is the fitting setting for London's latest gastronomical fashion statement, says pioneer of Latin Cuisine in the UK, Esnayder Cuartas
Latin Londoners #42: REYKO, Electronic Music Duo
The London based electronic music outfit REYKO is made up of Soleil and Igor, both from Spain. The duo first began capturing attention with several viral songs surpassing overall 40 million streams, and breaking through to…
‘When Evil Lurks’ (Cuando Acecha la Maldad) Dir. Demián Rugna
A gateway to hell in your stomach, or evil oozing out from a putrid demon-infested body, are images that have sprung from the fertile mind of Argentine horror filmmaker Demián Rugna. Now, more to feast on in ‘When Evil Lurks’.