• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google plus
• Linkedin
• Mail this event
• Print this event

Ola Latina and Cimarron Project launch NEW monthly Latin American Live Music and Cinema Event - MAKONDO, kicking off with film El Secreto de Sus Ojos at 7pm followed by live music from Matices Latinos at 9pm @ The Exhibit, 12 Balham Station Road, London, SW12 9SG. (The Launch will help to raise funds for the recent flood disaster in Colombia and supports the Rebuild Mocoa campaign) Film tickets sold as part of a Film and Live Music Combo £10* Live Music ONLY £5* (*small booking fee) The launch on 20th April will be a charitable event for Mocoa, Colombia - Makondo will be supporting the - REbuild Mocoa campaign. This charity initiative was launched by the group Students 4 Colombia after the recent natural disaster in that remote area of the country. 100s of Colombian students from different universities in the UK, with the support of the UK charity Children Change Colombia and the Colombian Embassy in London have come together for this campaign. All donations and money raised will be donated to the charity Children Change Colombia to support their relief work in Mocoa.

Ola Latina and Cimarron Project launch NEW monthly Latin American Live Music and Cinema Event - MAKONDO, kicking off with film El Secreto de Sus Ojos at 7pm followed by live music from Matices Latinos at 9pm @ The Exhibit, 12 Balham Station Road, London, SW12 9SG. (The Launch will help to raise funds for the recent flood disaster in Colombia and supports the Rebuild Mocoa campaign) Film tickets sold as part of a Film and Live Music Combo 10* Live Music ONLY 5* (*small booking fee)

The launch on 20th April will be a charitable event for Mocoa, Colombia - Makondo will be supporting the - REbuild Mocoa campaign. This charity initiative was launched by the group Students 4 Colombia after the recent natural disaster in that remote area of the country. 100s of Colombian students from different universities in the UK, with the support of the UK charity Children Change Colombia and the Colombian Embassy in London have come together for this campaign. All donations and money raised will be donated to the charity Children Change Colombia to support their relief work in Mocoa.

Latin America is a mosaic of peoples and traditions, which is reflected in its popular musical traditions where African Amerindian and European influences feature strongly. The richness of its art and culture is reflected in the diversity of musical traditions making up the cultural landscape of Britain today. MAKONDO monthly events will take visitors on a journey around the continent through cinema and live music with Matices Latinos taking the stage on launch night.

Matices Latinos, a group dedicated to playing folkloric and Latin American popular music that embraces musical traditions of countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Cuba, all rhythms with a strong African influence; led by outstanding London based Colombian singer Luz Elena Caicedo, and musically directed by multi-percussionist Wilmer Sifontes from Venezuela. Its then no wonder that MAKONDO is launched with this acoustic quartet to set the scene for things to come taking you on a musical journey to experience the true Latin American sentiment, diversity and wealth of its music.

The first film screening in the boutique cinema 'El Secreto de Sus Ojos' (English Subtitles) is unpredictable and rich in symbolism. This Argentinian murder mystery directed by Juan Jose Campanella and starring Ricardo Darin and Soledad Villamil lives up to its 2010 Oscar Award for best Foreign Language Film. A retired legal counsellor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unrequited love with his superior - both which still haunt him decades later (124 minutes).

Next months event on 18th May takes on a more Cuban theme with film Day of the Flowers, directed by John Roberts and staring Eva Birthistle, Charity Wakefield and Carlos Acosta and music by Havana Suite with award winning London-based classical Cuban guitarist, Ahmed Dickinson teamed with the versatile, passionate and imaginative Elena Zucchini, described by Spanish classical guitarist Alberto Ponce as 'the next rising star of the classical guitar world'.

About Us

Organisers Ola Latina and Cimarron Project are not new to the Balham area both having been involved in the Balham festival in 2006, with Ola Latinas Festival Encuentro Latino bringing a colourful display of dance and music to the streets during the Balham carnival parade followed by art and dance/music workshops. Both organisations continue work to promote Latin American art and culture in the UK with the Cimarron Project specifically educating communities about the African legacy in Latin American culture. The Project launched in 2008 as a response to the celebrations of the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery in the UK with a programme of lectures, percussion and dance workshops, photographic exhibitions, documentaries and dance/music shows. The mantra of Ola Latina is all about wanting to act as a platform to showcase and promote Latin American artistic talent in the UK promote inter-cultural relationships... where possible to fund raise for charitable Latin American organisations. The latter is something which both organisations hope to build onto the monthly night. Ola Latina were one of the main organisers of the Colombian Disaster Appeal in 1999, and one of many organisations who raised funds for the Tsunami tragedy in 2005 with Tsunami Salsa Aid event The Big One. The launch of Makondo will be a charity event for the recent flood disaster in Mocoa, Colombia. Organisers, Ola Latina and Cimarron Project will also be appealing for support to help a small charity Los Ninos del Rio which supports disadvantaged children and families in one of the poorest regions of Colombia.

Ultimately, Makondo is about bringing a small piece of Latin America to Balham whilst promoting Live Music, giving a platform to talented artists to share the warmth, love and happiness that can be found in this genre and continuing to build on charitable initiatives.

Please visit Ola Latinas website for more information on the company www.olalatina.co.uk #### stop.