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…
Arcangel's Latest Album: Los Favoritos 2.5
The legendary Arcangel does it once again with this latest album Los Favoritos 2.5 filled with 15 songs. This album is not one to sleep on! It gives you the old school reggaeton vibes mixed with a few tracks with he new school…
Luis Enrique Tunes That Rock the Dance Floor
The most famous Nicaraguan singer ever (and one of our all time favourites here at LatinoLife) Luis Enrique surprised the Latin world when in the late 80s he became a major hit-maker across Latin America. Dubbed ‘the Prince of…
Five Reasons To Love....Almodovar's Sex Fetishes
Internationally acclaimed director Pedro Almodovar, who released his latest film I'm So Excited in 2013, has demonstrated he is an all-embracing, multi-faceted film-maker to say the least. Combining elements of comedy and…
The Fabulous Fattoruso Brothers
The Uruguayan Fattoruso brothers, Hugo on piano and accordion and “Osvaldo” on drums, were massively influential on the New York Jazz scene in the late 60s with their mix jazz, rock, Brazilian music and Uruguay’s unique Candombe…
Mamacita
A surprising and rare attempt at authentic Mexican cuisine in trendy West Hampstead
Macedonio Fernandez - The Non-Believer's Belief
This week it is sixty years since the death of Macedonio Fernández, the Argentine writer and philosopher, who Jorge Luis Borges admitted he imitated ‘to the point of devoted and impassioned plagiarism.’ Yet virtually nothing is…
Things That Matter to...Yilian Cañizares
With two acclaimed albums, 2013's self-produced 'Ochumare' and 2015's 'Invocación', Yilian Cañizares is considered one of the most exciting and innovative jazz musicians of her generation. This young…
When Two World's Collide (Dir. Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel)
The Sundance World Cinema Documentary special jury prize-winner, this tense and immersive tour de force, takes audiences directly into the line of fire between powerful, opposing Peruvian factions who will stop at nothing to keep…
'Britain and the Dictatorships of Argentina and Chile' by Grace Livingstone
Ask anyone active in the British left during the 1970s and 1980s and they are likely to remember stories about Chile: Hawker Hunter jets bombing the presidential palace, the murderous Pinochet regime (1973-1990), Chilean refugees…
'La Llorona' Chavela Vargas (Milan records)
A finely curated “best of” and a great introduction to the world of the iconic ranchera singer.
A Film Guy named Jean Jean
In the past, the Panama Film Festival has attracted director greats such as Karim Aïnouz (Brazil) and Pablo Trapero (Argentina), and actors Ricardo Darín (Argentina) and Édgar Ramírez (Venezuela). This year it was a tall,…
LATIN LONDONER #52 - Jessica Maria Gilhooley, Actor, Filmmaker
Since graduating from the prestigious Drama Centre this British-Colombian Actor has appeared in Miramax's box office hit 'The Beekeeper' alongside Jason Statham and Jeremy Irons, and in the BAFTA-winning TV series…
Salmão ao Molho de Maracujá
Salmão ao Molho de Maracujá is a very popular dish in Brazil, and features one of my all time favourite sauces, “Molho de Maracuja” a creamy, tangy passion fruit sauce. It’s citrus-y flavour works amazingly well with fish but…
Things That Matter to...La Chica
Uniting Paris Belleville and Merida, Sophie Fustec was born in Paris to a French father and Venezuelan mother. Between visits to Merida, Sophie studied violin and then piano, for 13 years in the conservatory and then sound…
Sonora Ponceña Tunes that Rock the Dance Floor
Over 50 years of trajectory and more than 30 albums, la Sonora Ponceña is a Salsa institution. Led by piano virtuoso Papo Lucca, the legendary Puerto Rican orchestra has been also the home of some of the best Salsa singers from…
Brazilian Sweet Chilli Sauce
I have never been a fan of regular store-bought sweet chilli sauce. Store versions have a funny taste, and the colouring and preservatives put me off. It's true that you can find some better quality 'natural'…
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…
Films to Watch Before You Die #6 – 'La Historia Oficial' by Luis Puenzo
Only Memory Remains – Desaparecidos, Bourgeoisie and Memory in 1983 Argentina
CALL ME DIVA: The New Latina Darlings of Hollywood
From centre stage to front page, finally Hollywood studios and media are giving Latina Actors some love. About time! Here are a few of the new Latina stars of the moment.
The Unusual Spaniard
As daughter of Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin, Geraldine Chaplin was destined for fame or failure in her own film career. Instead, she became an unlikely icon of Spanish cinema through some unusual choices of her own.…
Latin Things to Do with Kids
There’s always something exciting to do in London, but it gets a bit tricky when it comes to finding things in Spanish for kids or to inspire them about their culture! So we’ve put together a list of great things to do with the…
Films to Watch Before You Die #5: 'Palomita Blanca' by Raúl Ruiz
CHILE IN VIEW - Palomita Blanca (Little White Dove) A teenage love affair in times of civil unrest and military dictatorship. Our fifth entry of “Latin American films you should watch before you die” is one of the most…
Modern (yet Unashamedly Macho) Malambo
A fiery, young, and scintillating take on traditional Argentine malambo dance, Malevo is a dance troupe based in Buenos Aires, seeking inspiration from the malambo dance, originally from the Pampas plains. Wowing audiences across…
Things That Matter to…David Bisbal
My earliest memory was music, it's more of a feeling than a particular event, a love for music whenever it was played, my love for singing.
Alejandro Loayza Grisi: Director of 'Utama'
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival 2022, ’Utama’ is a journey through the eyes of a Quechua couple that are battling between life and death with the climate change crisis affecting their home, forcing them…
Dark Soul - Interview with Spanish Film Director Alberto Rodriguez
Last year, Alberto Rodríguez took home ten Spanish Academy Goya prizes for his suspenseful detective noir Marshland, and this summer it premiered in the UK. It is sure to appeal based solely on its intense but measured action,…
Los Babasonicos @ The Dome, Tufnell Park, 27th October
A lack-lustre performance from the classic Argentine band, lacking its fans' enthusiasm for an Argentine night to remember in the classic North London msuic venue
ARMANDO MANZANERO : LIGHTS GO OUT FOR MEXICO'S SMOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN
Armando Manzanero was one of Mexico’s greatest romantic composers, whose ballads were performed by the likes of Elvis Presley and Christina Aguilera and, most famously, provided the tunes for Luis Miguel's best selling…
J Balvin: 'Colores' Review
Bright, bold and vivacious? Yep, that's J Balvin for you. Well him AND his brand new album 'Colores', the 10 track Album that brings hope and colour in times of uncertainty. Here's our song-by-song review...
Nuevo Orden (2020) Dir. Michel Franco
In ‘New Order’ (2020) the third feature written and directed by Mexican Michel Franco, no one is innocent. There is no ‘get out of jail free card’ here! Michel Franco’s powerful film, screened at the 2020 BFI London Film Festival…
Uncovering B.Léza - Cesaria Evora’s songwriter
Few people had heard of Cabo Verde, an arc of islands off the coast of Senegal, until Cesária Évora put them on the map. B. Leza is one of the most important composers in the history of Cabo Verde, and anyone who knows Cesária…
Favourite Sambas
My father lead and played in a carnival band for more than 30 years and most of the time, this band rehearsed at our home. They played in clubs for the four nights of carnival parties and the weeks that preceded them. Outside…
Esteban's Colombian Pandebonos
Medellín-born Esteban Arboleda runs Colombian Street Kitchen and since August he's been wowing guests and visitors to Green Rooms hotel in Wood Green with his authentic Colombian Street Food dishes. He's halfway through…
Brazilian women in London share experiences of gendered violence
As the rates and intensity of violence against women dramatically rose globally over lockdown, Gil, a Brazilian woman in London who has suffered domestic violence, tells her story of being denied support from emergency services.…