Caballerango (Dir Juan Pablo González)
‘CABALLERANGO’, by Mexican film maker Juan Pablo González, is a feature-length documentary examining the effects of a suicide on a family and the people of a village afflicted by more than one such death, some by consuming…
HEARTSONGS
Lila Downs is back – with not one but Dos Corazones – a new song which she will be debuting live in London this this month. She tells Elizabeth Mistry how her first UK visit in eight years will be an opportunity to talk about…
El Chacal comes to England with a point to prove
Even among boxers, Guillermo Rigondeaux's story is pretty incredible. Once Cuba's pride and joy, the twice Olympic gold medalist and twice world champion was exiled in his own country for two years after caught trying…
Carlos' Tres Leches
It's one of Latin America’s most-loved deserts – a sponge cake made with condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk. I was recently working at my restaurant when I looked up to find the comedian Romish Ranganathan…
THE SHEPHERD (2017) Dir. JONATHAN CENZUAL BURLEY
Many people struggle for years to get their films recognized and some have success thrust upon them when they do not expect it… as in the case of young Spanish director JONATHAN CENZUAL BURLEY. A natural story teller, Cenzual has…
Things That Matter To...Mandinga
Hailing from Bucharest, Mandinga have come a long way since representing Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2012. Integrating the sassy Spanish lead singer Bárbara Isasi, this energetic, funky Tropical-Urban fusion…
Latin Londoner #45: Marcos Mereles, Film Director
Born in La Rioja, Argentina in1990, Marco Mereles is a filmmaker, based in London. His first feature film ALL IS VANITY (UK, 2021) had its world premiere at the 65th BFI London Film Festival and will be released in UK cinemas…
Cuban Spirit
Roberto Fonseca’s soulful, dynamic new album, Yesun, is a reincarnation, where the sounds of an old Cuba collide gracefully with the clean precision of modern day. The son of Havana’s streets, now on a European tour, spoke to…
Victor Jara, Singer-songwriter (1932-1973)
Victor Jara was a popular folk singer in Chile, who was tortured and murdered in 1973 by the military coup led by Augusto PInochet. Ever since, the man and his music has been an inspiration for millions across the world. Almost…
LOVIN’ LATIN LONDON - The Musicians
London’s Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese communities are well into their second and third generations. Some came here decades ago, as political refugees or economic migrants, and those born and bred here form part of the…
Paladar, SE1
Paladar offers an up-market experience without being pretentious or losing its Latin soul and strikes the right balance between quality, authenticity and atmosphere.
Our Tribute to Sandro
The man known as The Argentine Elvis was a national treasure. The funeral was held on January 5th at the Argentine national congress, usually reserved only for presidents or former presidents. The streets where lined with…
Meow! (2024) by Mexican Ariel de la Garza and Czech Michal Vojtech.
Meow! a comedy short film that has just premiered at the Norwich Film Festival, is an intriguing, quirky and amusing run through the Gothic shadows of the city of Prague, as a toilet attendant searches for her lost cat, trying to…
Casita Andina, Soho
Heart-warming dishes that evoke Cusco's deliciously intense and cosy cuisine, make a perfect night out for a romantic winters evening in London.
Argentina: Toxic Waste from Fracking in Patagonia
A BP subsidiary is being sued by indigenous groups for criminal dumping of toxic waste
Things That Matter To...Eliane Elias
Brazilian jazz pianist Eliane Elias is known for her distinctive and immediately recognizable musical style which blends her Brazilian roots, her sensuous, alluring voice with her virtuosic instrumental jazz, classical and…
Spotlight on...Lyanno
Latin urban artist on the rise inspired by contemporary R&B stars such as Trey Songz and the Weeknd, Lyanno became one of Puerto Rico's rising artists in 2018 with featured appearances on hits including Alex Rose's…
Maya Da-Rin, award-winning Brazilian film director of ‘The Fever’ (2019)
“They don’t know how to look into dreams, they have big eyes but they only see what is in front of them.” Brazilian filmmaker Maya Werneck Da-Rin is a bubbly, energetic, resourceful and creative person with a huge talent. Moved…
CABRINI (2024) directed by Mexican director Alejandro Monteverde
‘One small gesture of love can change everything’. How do you do credit to a biopic of a saint? This true story of the turbulent journey of Francesca Cabrini to achieve her goal of orphanages and hospitals in late 19th Century…
Bridges and Walls
With 1.5 billion YouTube views, a 3x platinum debut album in Mexico and a second album premiering at #1 all over Latin America and several Grammys, what makes Jesse and Joy one of Latin America's biggest emerging acts? As…
Milton Nascimento'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 Milton Nascimento, one of the most significant Brazilian musicians of the last…
Latino, Made in London
María Victoria Cristancho reports on the moment a major global record label decided to invest in the very first UK label dedicated to nurturing Latin talent and finding the next global superstar, singing Spanish and talking…
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW (2023) - The Ultimate Survival Movie
“Reality is not enough, only dreaming”. Despite having been released recently (October 2023), this film recounting the famous crash in the Andes of a plane carrying the Uruguayan national rugby team, by Spanish director J.…
Things We Love About....Chorrillos, Lima
In the first of our series on Latin American neighbourhoods which get overlooked by the tour guides, but where you'll find more authentic experiences and local life, away from the hype and the high prices, LatinoLife invites…
Pisqu, Fitzrovia
Such is the richness of its cuisine, there is always room for one more Peruvian restaurant in London, especially when you have a head chef who performs his duty with love and pride. Amaranta Wright remarks how Pisqu ticks the…
Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art
Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art showcases the works of 50 international artists - 10 of whom coming from Latin America - who use textiles to embody messages of oppression and resistance, power and…
BINGO- KING OF THE MORNINGS (Bingo- o Rei das Manhãs) Dir. Daniel Rezende
Already picked to represent Brazil at the Oscars, this tear-jerking, heart-warming, inventive and adventurous movie is a delightfully politically-incorrect breath of fresh air, says Corina Poore
At the request of their fans, Jacob Forever and Nacho release the remix "Te liberé"
The Cuban Jacob Forever and the Venezuelan Nacho are premiere! After several days of promotion in social networks, Latin urban singers have just given the green light on YouTube to their new collaborative song.
SORCERY (BRUJERÍAS) 2023, by Chilean director Christopher Murray, based on true events, opens on June 14th 2024.
‘Dead birds for sorrow.’ With elements of mystery, myth, magic realism and horror, SORCERY, Set in the enigmatic Chilean island of Chiloè, in 1880, has a mesmerizing quality, that was recognized with awards at the Cinélatino…
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.
Los Niños Vascos and The English Lord
In 1937, as Bilbao was being bombarded, 4,000 Basque children arrived in Southamption, thanks to some extraordinary individuals who defied the British government's official policy of appeasement (which ultimately contributed…
Basque director, Pablo Berger, warms our hearts with ROBOT DREAMS
Following three acclaimed live-action movies, Pablo Berger, known for ‘Blancanieves’ (Snow White) has further surprised us with Robot Dreams, (2023) - a delightful, dialogue-free, 2D animated buddy movie of a Dog and a Robot.
Clash of the Literary Titans? (and THAT black eye)
Candela explores the beef between Gabriel García Márquez and Mario Vargas Llosa that has long been the intrigue of the literary world. Now that the Peruvian has won the Nobel Prize for Literature, is it time for Latin America…
CIELO (2025)an intriguing fable, set in Bolivia, written and directed by Alberto Sciamma.
Little Santa is determined to reach for the stars and get to Heaven. What ensues is the dark and yet heart-warming tale of Santa who changes all those that come into contact with her.
Birds of Passage (Dir. Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra)
Through a series of five ‘songs’ or ‘cantos’, ‘Birds of Passage’ tells the painful story of how the drugs trade began in Colombia in the 1960s. From modest beginning, the Wayuu tribe found themselves involved as it began. The…