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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…
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…
WHAT MEXICO IS
Often accused of glorifying violence, Norteño legends Los Tigres del Norte have caused controversy and divided opinion with their musical “story-telling”. Yet there is no denying the huge impact that this highly influential…
‘A MIGRANT BALL OF THREAD’ a new play by Mexican Sonia Gregorio at the Royal Court Theatre.
The Royal Court Theatre continues its remit as a “leading force in world theatre for cultivating and supporting writers” with a 3- week series of readings & performances of a group of exciting plays from Brazil, the…
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…
“No Tengo Dogma" - an Interview with Mexican Director Lila Avilés
Mexican writer/ producer/ director LILA AVILÉS is reaching audiences far and wide, way beyond her Latin American roots, as her second film TÓTEM (2023) hits the screens in the UK and other countries. Both her films, LA CAMARISTA…
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.
Mexican Mambo
Widely regarded as one of the most influential Mexican music bands of all time, La Sonora Santanera’s unique big band style with elements of mambo, cha cha cha, bolero, cumbia and merengue, has made it popular all over Latin…
FAILURE! 2023, directed by Alex Kahuam is screening at the London Frightfest 2023
Failure! is a psychological thriller that features the enigmatic Ted Raimi in the lead role as a man who, facing ruin gets increasingly more desperate as he seeks a way out.
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.
Horror is alive and kicking in THE BREACH (2022) by Rodrigo Gudiño
Mexican- Canadian film director Rodrigo Gudiño, best known for founding the horror magazine and company Rue Morgue, has lived up to his reputation with an entertaining and fun horror film with plenty of gore, ‘The Breach’ (2022)
"Don’t Even Try": Breaking Shakespeare’s Glass Ceiling
"I loved Shakespeare, but almost every fellow actor, manager and director told me: ‘don’t even try.’” Mexican-born Jimena Larraguivel didn’t want to be in telenovelas. She wanted to be on stage. But with her strong accent…
The Incarceration Trap
From the freedom of the Mexican Pacific coast to an American high security jail, director Rodrigo Reyes explores the life of a Mexican illegal immigrant, Sansón Andrade, who was sentenced to life in prison with no parole. This…
IGUANA LIKE THE SUN (2022) Julián Robles
‘Can a pregnant woman watch an eclipse?’ Mexican actor/ writer / director Julián Robles has emerged with an interesting debut feature that will be screened at the Raindance Film Festival, It represents a notable change of…
Same-Sex Marriage Becomes Legal in Mexico
On 26 October, Tamaulipas became the last of Mexico’s 32 states to legalise same-sex marriage. Legislators approved the measure to reform the state’s civil code - which previously only recognised marriage as the unity between a…
Home Recipe #1: Oscar’s Mexican Pozole
In this Latino Life series, we showcase Latin home chefs who are spicing up the culinary scene here in the UK. Our first Latin home chef is Dr. Oscar Ignacio Barragán Villanueva from Mexico. He is 31 years old and is the oldest…
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022) by Alejandro G. Iñarritú.
Alejandro G. Iñarritú, the Oscar-winning director of superb movies like ‘AMORES PERROS’, ‘BIRDMAN’ & ‘THE REVENANT’ returns to Mexico with a personal, sprawling and visually beautiful film that questions filming itself. Co-…
Mexico in Kew: A Floral Celebration of Life
“Our Day of the Dead is an affirmation of life”, says Betsabeé Romero, the internationally renowned Mexican artist who has created a riotously-colourful Día de Los Muertos installation at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. As…
An Aural Mapping of Nostalgia
One of the most critically and commercially successful bands to emerge from Latin America, Café Tacvba have come to define the essence of Mexican rock. Ahead of their European Tour this September, Shyal Bhandari speaks with…
Mexican artist Perla Krauze at the Cadogan Gallery
‘The crevices talk of what has gone before, which is life’ (Las grietas hablan de lo que ha pasado… que es vida’) Mexican sculptor and painter, Perla Krauze, is exhibiting a fascinating selection of her sculptures and…
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…
We Love Toña la Negra (1912 –1982)
Mexico has never been short of fantastic singers and to become considered as a singing star in the country, you have to be great and Toña La Negra was one of the greatest singers Mexico has given to the world. An Afro-Mexican of…
NORTHERN SKIES OVER AN EMPTY SPACE (2022)
Selected to be screened for the Panorama Competition at the 72nd Berlin Film Festival, this Mexican ‘western’, the third feature to be directed by Alejandra Márquez Abella, delves into magical realism with the build-up of omens…
Films To Watch Before You Die #3 - Alfonso Cuaron's 'Y Tu Mamá Tambien'
A CHRONICLE OF REALITY – A Journey across life and natural and political landscapes, an emotional kick and a box-office success. Alfonso Cuarón’s 2001 film Y Tu Mamá También (And Your Mom Too) is the third entry in our series of…
Zapatistas Embark on 'Journey for Life' World Tour
Zapatistas visit UK on voyage to five continents of the world to meet with those building ‘a better world'
Surrogate Latina #8: Ana Csergö, leader of Las Adelitas
From Back To Black to the Green, White and Red of Mexico's national colours, Las Adelitas is headlining this year's Mexico's Independence Day celebrations in London. Named after the brave women who took up arms…
‘SON OF MONARCH’ (Hijo de Monarcas) written and Directed by Alexis Gambis - Mexico/ US 2020
A collage of memories and events fragment like dreams when they collide with reality, in French-Venezuelan’s director Alexis Gambis’ film ‘SON OF MONARCH’ 2020.
Things That Matter to...Coco Maria
A self-described 'selectora' and the only resident Latin DJ on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM radio station, Coco Maria works in a vastly male dominated environment. The Mexican born DJ just DJ'ed for…
Cristina's Stuffed Poblano Peppers
We all know that chillies are a staple of Mexican cuisine, but they’re normally an ingredient to spice up the main dish. But in this recipe, the chillies are the star of the show! This recipe is as delicious as it is easy to make…
Que Vivan 'Los Turcos': Latin America's Arab connection
Last year, when the crisis in Colombia coincided with the Israeli incursion into Gaza, Colombian and Latino social media platforms were awash with calls for solidarity with Palestinians, after the distressing scenes of the…
REMEMBERING SELENA
I'm willing to bet that you've seen a few Jennifer Lopez films. But have you seen her best one? The one where she plays another musical star - who was even bigger than ‘Jenny from the Block’ would go on to be.…
Top 10 Latin American Sportswomen
Forget Guillermo Vilas, Gustavo Kuerten or Juan Martin del Potro, did you know that Latin America’s most successful tennis player - World No. 1,19 Grand Slam titles, including three Wimbledon singles crowns - was a woman? And yet…
Mexico: Informal Workers and the Pandemic
The story of Noe, a private driver and ambulant salesman, is that of many in Mexico left without an income or government help. It is left to informal neighbourhood based support to helps them get by.
Tino Contreras' Fantasy Island Tracks
Our castaway this month is Tino Contreras the master Mexican jazz drummer who for more than six decades has melded Latin influences with free jazz, psychedelia, avant-garde experimentation, and global sounds. Born in 1924, Tino…
Swiss Sampling: An Interview with Michel Cleis
His track ‘La Mezcla’, using a Toto La Momposina sample, became one of the biggest house tracks of the century, and it made him a household name in that market. Now the World-renowned Swiss DJ and producer just reworked Natalia…
Latest Content
Food
Made in Brasil
Amaranta Wight revisits London’s iconic award-winning Brazilian restaurant in Camden – a much-…
Film & Theatre
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?…
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Globally, Mexico is known as a boxing powerhouse, boasting some of the greatest champions in the…