Wakolda (2013) Dir. Lucia Puenzo
The latest film by Argentine director Lucia Puenzo in which themes of adolescent attraction and the place of beauty, uniqueness, difference, and normalisation serve as a bridge between past and present, set in the ever…
The Return of the Venezuelan Funksters
Latin America's most iconic funk band will perform another of their show-stopping gigs on April 2nd at the 26 Leake Street Club, an awesome venue in the London Bridge arches, displaying of some of the best street-art in…
Ana Gabriel at Wembley Arena, London
London's Latin American community were out in force at Wembley on Friday, July 7, to welcome popular Mexican singer Ana Gabriel to the capital.
Brazil: Munduruku People Fear Annihilation
The Tapajós River Basin lies at the heart of the Amazon, and at the heart of an exploding controversy: whether to build 40+ large dams, a railway, and highways, turning the Basin into a vast industrialized commodities export…
La Roja are dead! Long live la Roja!!
On the day Spain’s monarch abdicates, the most imperious footballing team of recent years also relinquishes its crown. It is ironic that the original La Roja, Chile's national team, is the one that rendered the name of the…
The Hand of God – Argentina’s Peculiar Blessing and Burden
Argentines will both mourn and celebrate the death of Maradona as they haven’t since the death of Evita, for it is love-hate with him, just like Argentines with their own self-image. As with all its other famous people, the…
The People's Art
Led by the charismatic Anglo-Argentine artist Patricio (Pato) Forrester, a new School of Muralism is being created in the borough of Lewisham with the active participation of Goldsmith’s College, plus the support of the local…
‘I AM AWAKE’ - Paraguayan artist Feliciano Centurión
Feliciano Centurión’s whimsical and moving works are on display at the Cecilia Brunson Gallery September 19th – December 13th 2019.
Surrogate Latino #3 Kishon Khan - bandleader
For years, Kishon Khan’s Lokkhi Terra has been blending the musical traditions that surround the band members; from Sufi Samba to Baul Blues to Bengali Folk-Son to Bangla Roots Reggae to London Descargas. Their 6th album ‘…
Tótem (2023) by Mexican writer/director Lila Avilés
“I wish Daddy did not have to die”. Lila Avilés’ delightful second feature deals with mortality and love at an intensely human level in this gem of a movie.
Fredman Herazo Padilla and the 40 Political Assassinations This Year
The Afro-Colombian community leader was assassinated on January 15. Fredman Herazo Padilla promoted Afro-Colombian music and culture and the language of Palenque, first free slave town in the Americas, well-known for its Afro-…
Imperio Bamba: 'Mis Cosas Favoritas' Review
London-based Imperio Bamba's sound mixes cumbia, chicha and afro with psychedelic synths and screaming guitars. Arden Farrow reviews their EP 'Mis Cosas Favoritas' which includes the single 'Los Amantes'…
Things You Should Know About...Latin American Political Cinema
The plethora of social documentaries and politically-committed films that came out of Latin America between the mid-1950s and mid-1970s brought Latin American film onto the focus of world critics. Of course, to reduce the region…
Our Latin Thing: An interview with Roberto Pla
Whether as percussionist of choice for the UK’s pop bands (Joe Strummer, The Cure, Kate Bush, Boney M) or bandleader, composer and arranger, timbalero extraordinaire, Roberto Pla, has come to be known as The Godfather of Latin…
Pacific Tumbao
In the vibrant world of Colombian salsa music, few names resonate as powerfully as Jimmy Saa. Known for his electrifying performances, soulful voice and bringing the rich sounds of his native Buenaventura into a unique brand of…
Things That Matter to…Eliane Correa
Eliane Correa studied piano and composition at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, before relocating to London where she quickly gained fame for her work as a composer, musician and bandleader. After years as arranger,…
Pao Pestana
Pao Pestana’s feisty cocktail of seductive beats and gritty sensuality packs a contagious punch. The Venezuelan-born, London-based singer-songwriter and Producer self-released ‘Quiero Verte’ in October, attracting the attention…
How Latinos in the UK Can Show Support for Black Lives Matter
A young Afro Latina from the US is inspired by a show of UK solidarity for Black Lives Matter in Brixton and suggests ways Latinos in the UK can help
CUÑADOS (2021) by Toño López
Screened at the 2021 London Spanish Film Festival, ‘CUÑADOS’ (Brothers- in- Law 2021) is a delightful caper in the local language by Galician director Toño López and a great tonic for a cold autumn evening. Eduardo and his…
LATIN LONDONER #16 Fernando Montaño - Royal Ballet Dancer
Originally from the city of Buena Aventura on the Pacific coast of Colombia, dancer Fernando Montaño is now a soloist with the Royal Ballet. Twice a winner of the LUKAS Personality of the Year (2013 and 2014), Fernando has…
'Yo amanecí' Andres Landero (Vampisoul)
A fantastic compilation of Colombia's King of Cumbia
Caetano Veloso – 54 days during the dictatorship
Narciso em Ferias (Narcissus Off-duty) is Caetano Veloso’s personal testimony of his arrest and imprisonment in 1968 during the dictatorship in Brazil. Premiering at the Venice Biennale and shown at DocLisboa, the film follows…
Latin Londoner #35: Adriana Cavita, Chef and Food Entrepreneur
Adriana Cavita, the prodigious Mexican chef who previously worked at El Bulli and Pujol, is bringing the authentic flavours of Mexico to London at her debut restaurant, Cavita.
A Timeline of Greatness - Musical Anniversaries to Celebrate in 2024
Here at LatinoLife, whilst nurturing up-and-coming artists, we never forget on whose should we stand and who we have to thank for the rich tapestry of sounds that we’ve inherited. This year in particular we look forward to some…
We Love 'El Tosco'
Amaranta Wright ventures down memory lane and to Miami in the 90s when she first heard the late great José Luis Cortés aka El Tosco, “the Rough One” and his NG La Banda, one of the greatest ever Cuban bands. The accomplished…
Marcos Valle'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 this month is Marcos Valle, one of the most important and popular artists in the history of…
LatinoLife 22 Confirms its Place as 'the UK's Most Inclusive Festival'
The only UK festival to be chosen for 'The Inclusive Festival Guide' compiled by European research project Fest Space, LatinoLife's 7th edition delivered the UK's biggest Latin music Festival. London’s only…
"Transforming one body into another’"
Flamenco's experimental bailaor extraordinaire, Israel Galván, will be mesmerising audiences at Sadler’s Wells for two nights on November 25 and 26th with his original interpretation of ‘The Rite of Spring’ by Igor…
DJ Flecha's Top Ten Cuban Tunes
DJ Flecha has had an amazing DJ career, playing with the most famous Cuban bands such as Los Van Van, Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Álvarez, Manolito Y Su Trabuco, Paulo F.G, Pupi Y Los Que Son Son and Issac Delgado. This is his…
'Zama' Dir. Lucrecia Martel (Argentina)
After a debut La Ciénaga (The Swamp 2001) that shook the world of cinema and the equally successful La Niña Santa (The Holy Girl 2004) and La Mujer sin Cabeza (The Headless Woman 2008), Lucrecia Martel, one of the protagonists of…
Ayahuasca, Colonialist Mysticism and Exploitation of Indigenous People
A Review of 'The Cull of Personality - Ayahuasca, Colonialism, and the Death of a Healer' by Kevin Tucker
MEMORIA (2021) directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
“In here, time stops”. Thai Director, screenwriter and producer Apichatpong Weerasethakul has set his latest offering MEMORIA (2021) in Colombia. He has managed to uncover a sense of peace that one would have thought hard to…
SEX WORKERS' OPERA
With a cast made up of workers in the sex industry and actors (its not clear whom is which to preserve anonymity) this unique multimedia production written by British-Uruguyan singer and composer Alex Etchart, offers a brutally…
“The Horror Seeps Through the Cracks”
Set during the harshest period of the Pinochet Dictatorship, ‘1976’ (2022) is an intelligent and moving study of a well-to-do housewife, Carmen, who, after being asked to care for a wounded activist, finds her life changing and…
Latin Music 2.0: Meet Candela Records’ Rising Stars
Ever since reggaetón became the world’s most streamed music genre, the major music labels have been on the hunt for the Latin music stars of the future. In a brave move, one global brand decided to look to UK shores for a new and…