Bebel Gilberto'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? This castaway, world renowned and multi-Grammy-nominated Bebel Gilberto, daughter of bossa nova icon Joao…
Modern Spain: Stylizing the Stereotypes?
Spain is a country that attracts strong stereotypes. Images of wife-beating machos, blood thirsty sports and crazy drivers may have dissolved since the years of Franco isolation, but siestas, fiestas and Flamenco is still what…
'Antonio López 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco' Dir: James Crump
Corina J Poore marvels at an enchanting documentary about the Puerto Rican born fashion illustrator whose work in top fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Elle and The New York Times who was so well known and…
Correa's Quest for Longevity in Ecuador
On the eve of his inauguration in 2013, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa explicitly stated he would not seek re-election in four years’ time. Now, Ecuador’s Congress has proposed legislation to abolish the limit on the…
Guatemalan Fire
Gaby Moreno, this Guatemalan Latin Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, has left an indelible mark in the collaborations she has partaken in, making her a true inspiration for all Latinos, let alone the small central American…
Food as Memory: an evening with Enrique Olvera
El Pastor in Battersea hosted the second evening of its EP + Amigos series, where guest chefs are asked not only to cook but to share something of themselves. This time, it was Enrique Olvera, the chef behind Mexico City's…
TEN YEARS A GRAVE
More than a decade after the Pasta de Conchos mining disaster killed 65 miners in Mexico, families are asking the UK to help with their struggle for justice, reports Elizabeth Mistry
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
From the first page you are thrown in to the deep end with magical stories and explanations of what alchemy is, however at no point do you feel out of your depth. Written in third person, the world of a magical adventures and…
Brazil's Social Realism?
If Ken Loach were Brazilian, he may well have made a film like this. THE SECOND MOTHER is about a set of social rules which have been in place in Brazilian and Latin American culture since colonial times, and which continues to…
‘FRAGMENTED DIALOGUES’: Art and Identity in 1980s Chile
Corina talks to the curator of a fascinating exhibition of the work by two Chilean artists, Mario Fonseca and Mauricio Valenzuela. It is on at Austin/Desmond Fine Art till 30 June and explores both the fragmented and silenced…
Reggaetón’s Songsmith
Justin Quiles is not your average reggaetón star. The US-born Puerto Rican is not only one of the hottest urban singers out there, with over five billion combined streams, but also one of the most sought after songwriters in…
THE MARCH REGGAETON RECAP
The five songs below are just as unpredictable as the weather (in the best way possible). Whether you’re feeling like a club anthem or hearing some sounds that transport you back to the 2010’s, the past four weeks of music have…
Bodegón meets fine-dining at Amina, Buenos Aires
Amaranta Wright visits the happy love-child of two Argentina chefs with complimentary inspirations. Presenting classic bodegón dishes, reinterpretted and elevated, the result is a reflection of their passion for traditional…
Gay Marriage Legalized in Argentina Despite Huge Opposition From Church
On Thursday the 15th of July, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage, granting to gay and lesbian couples the same legal rights and benefits that heterosexual couples have traditionally…
'Rage of Narcissus' wowed audiences at the Pleasance Theatre
Thrilling, captivating, and unexpectedly horrifying are just a few words that can be used to describe ‘Rage of Narcissus.’ Sam Crane -the solo performer that narrates this ghostly thriller- tells a fictionalized version of the…
Argentina Becomes Third South American Country to Legalise Abortion
This week, the South American country became the largest nation in Latin America to legalise abortion, a landmark victory for women across the region. It comes after years of mobilisation by the grass-roots movements in response…
New Spanish Cinema - Daniel Monzon and Film Philosophy at its best
On the DVD release of Cell 211, Latinolife interviews Daniel Monzón, one of the new great directors of Spanish Cinema, Daniel Monzón reveals his passions and fears during the making of his film, which ended in some unexpected,…
La Casa del Ritmo: A film about ‘Los Amigos Invisibles’- a biopic by Javier Andrade.
This documentary has the story of the band woven into a key live performance shot at the Highline Ballroom in New York City in March 2011, created with the backing of the group’s own label, Gozadera Records. The film screens on…
Bilbao: the heart of the city
Although the Guggenheim Museum has been a genuine tourist magnet, it’s the local life that leaves the lasting impression, says Anna Ward.
Paco Peña's Quimeras
An uplifting and inspiring piece that tells an emotive story and touches political themes through music, dance and the spoken word
MORNING MASQUERADE
Inaugurated this month, an exciting new mural by Argentine artist Patricio Forrester has been unveiled on a large wall in the Deptford Arena on the New Cross Road. Forrester has lived in the area for many years, and is very well…
LOVIN’ LATIN LONDON - The Writers
Latin America has its fair share of great authors, but what about the budding authors among London-bred Latino community? London’s Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese communities are well into their second and third…
Peru Maravilloso: Vintage Latin, Tropical and Cumbia
Peru Maravilloso: Vintage Latin, Tropical & Cumbia
Wild Tales (2014) Damian Szifron
A box office and critical hit, both in Latin America and outside, this anthology of short stories linked by themes of rage and restraint in post-modern living, is Argentina's most recent example in a long tradition of…
LEON KING
For a country that has given Latin America its most phenomenal and popular male vocalists (and songwriters), it is no surprise that Mexico has also produced some of the world's greatest operatic tenors, such as Ramón Vargas…
On the Divide: Reality and Hypocrisy in the Land of the Free
‘On The Divide' follows the story of three Latinx people living in McAllen, Texas who are connected by the most unexpected of places: the last abortion clinic on the U.S./Mexico border. As threats to the clinic and their…
Things we love about...El Puerto, Punta del Este
For decades now, Punta del Este has been the summer destination of choice for wealthy Argentines, Brazilians and, more recently, celebrities from all over Latin America and beyond. The likes of Naomi Campbell, Ralph Lauren,…
Açaí Bowl
Açaí is a berry that grows in the Brazilian Amazon. The antioxidant-rich dark purple berries are packed with amino acids, as well as vitamins A, B, C and E and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc. It…
The Two Faces of Norway’s Rainforest Policies
Norway's government gives millions to Brazil for rainforest conservation, while Norsk Hydro's mines and smelters clear, pillage and pollute.
THE MAY REGGAETON RECAP
This current heatwave is throwing off my natural calendar, from taking one glance outside you might think this was ‘The August Reggaeton Recap’ but instead it’s May’s – I promise. Unlike the weather, a lot of these newly…
Copán: The jewel on the southern tip of the ancient Mayan Empire
Located in western Honduras only an hour from the border with Guatemala, Copán was an ancient Mayan city that dominated trade and commerce in the area. It holds great importance in Mayan history due to its geographical position,…
Not Another Play About War
Bringing real life British and Argentine veterans of the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War to the stages of London and Brighton, Lola Arias is soon to create a ground-breaking theatrical experience. Latinolife talks exclusively to this…
COVID Toll on Indigenous Elders is Destroying History
"Every time an elder dies, a library is burnt"
El Emigrante: Javier Moreno on his Lukas nomination and life in the UK…
Javier Moreno currently resides in London, when I spoke to him on a lovely sunny morning he was off to work on his side project: a Catalan inspired café! Born in Barcelona from a Catalan mother and Andalusian father, Javier has…
Colombia Brings Hope
Kristian Herbolzheimer, a key analyst in the soon-to-be-signed Colombia peace agreement, explains how this historic achievement came about and its significance for Colombia and the world.