Saturday 24th October 2009
12:00 noon
Free (Booking required – please email culture@casalatina.org.uk to secure your place!)
@ the Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High St, E1 7QX [map]

Talk with Dr. Gerald Blaney, Jr. (Cañada Blanch Fellow in Spanish History, London School of Economics) and Jorge Rodríguez (Cultural team volunteer, Latin American House).

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a military and ideological confrontation that not only affected Spain, it was the preamble of World War II and the influence and repercussions made echoes in the other side of the Atlantic.  From single workers to prominent intellectuals and artist left the sores of their countries in the American continent and went to fight a war that was taken as their war too. Governments in the Americas took sides too and the outcome and exodus after the war made a strong impact in some countries in Latin America. Public acts and anonymous episodes involving people and countries from Latin America were part of this war and were linked by history in the collective memory of mankind.

Come and participate with us in this activity having as a back ground the impressive installation of Goshka Macuga’s exhibition about the Spanish Civil War in the Whitechapel Gallery.

Dr. Gerald Blaney, Jr. (London School of Economics) was awarded his second Masters and PhD in International History from the LSE, where he is now Cañada Blanch Fellow in Spanish History. His current research involves an examination of Spain’s paramilitary police, the Civil Guard, during the pre-Civil War Second Republic (1931-1936) and is also organizing a collective project analyzing varios aspects of the police and policing in the Iberoamerican world.

Jorge Rodriguez-Torres, BA (Honours) in Social Sciences with Geography and Sociology with the Open University. Former member of the Mexico Support Group and current member of the cultural department at the Latin American House, he has been involved in Latin American cultural projects since his arrival to the UK seventeen years ago.

Exhibition at the British Museum – Community Preview

This major exhibition explores Aztec (Mexica) civilisation through the divine, military and political role of the last elected ruler, Moctezuma II (reigned AD 1502–1520).

Rediscover the world of the Mexica and trace the foundation of modern Mexico.

See it four days before its official opening to the public in a free, guided visit with the Latin American House. Don’t miss it!
Sunday 20th September 2009
2.30-3.00 pm Curator’s talk
3.30-4.15 pm Workshop exploring the everyday lives of the Aztecs from war drums to chocolate whisks

To book a place or for any further enquiries please email culture@casalatina.org.uk

Please note that on the date some streets of central London will be closed to traffic due to Mayor of London’s Skyride. Use the opportunity to get to the British Museum by bike, or check Transport for London’s website for door-to-door travel information.

Storytelling, body and voice techniques for challenge, awareness and transformation.

No experience necessary, any age welcome.
For adults of all ages who have a child in their heart.
We aim to create a group of experimentation and perform in venues.

* Discover all kind of possibilities of expression through you body and voice
* Experiment different improvisation, acting and storytelling techniques,
* Learn how to perform in front of an audience without getting nervous.
* Improve your self confidence and communication skills.
* Express yourself freely.
* Feel the presence of nature; be a part of the planet in a unique way.
* Release pain.
* Explore and improve your creativity interacting with others, creating characters, roles, stories and situations in a natural, individual and spontaneous way.
* Learn drama games, storytelling, puppetry, and improvisation and clown techniques, to laugh and relax.
* Learn to be comfortable with yourself.
* Let the energy of your body flow.

We work with our every day’s activities. We test and study everything we experience in life.

Price 160 pounds (8 sessions). You can pay in several instalments.
A free place is available for someone very committed who can’t afford the cost
Limited to 6 places per session
Booking and confirmation essential.

Luis Buñuel, often considered the father of cinematic Surrealism, had a long and colorful career. From 1929 to 1977 Buñuel produced 32 films in five different countries, won numerous awards at film festivals worldwide, one of his films became protected by the UNESCO, and was exiled from his native Spain – twice.

Buñuel preferred to shock and bombard his audience with disturbing images and disjointed storylines that seemed to have no rhyme or reason to them. He delighted in satirizing religion and government, ripping off the veneer of civility and rationalism to reveal the savage hypocrisy beneath. His films are heavy with undercurrents of sexual deviance and political subversion, and are all characterized by a horror at the world’s cruelty, but for the greater part of his career, he submerged it under a veneer of sophisticated distanciation.

Luis Buñuel, by Salvador Dalí

The films we present have been chosen to represent the three major phases Buñuel went through – the surrealist (Un Chien Andalou, L’Âge d’Or and Land Without Bread), the low-budget Mexican filmmaker (The Forgotten Ones), and the elegantly satirical continental European (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie); plus a delightful odd (Viridiana, his only feature film made in Spain). But foremost, we present his five most polemic films, which have been either banned, fiercely criticized, or condemned by the Church. As a contrast, the last film we present, although as acid as any of is other works, was highly acclaimed, to the point of winning an Oscar. Is in that manner Buñuel being praised by the sheer core of those he satirizes about? And were did he came from, anyway? Above all, Buñuel is, no doubt, the greatest (auto) joker of all time.

Programme:
* 30 April: Un Chien Andalou, L’Âge d’Or and Land Without Bread (1929-32)
* 14 May: The Forgotten Ones (1950)
* 28 May: Viridiana (1961)
* 11 June: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)

Video presentation of the season

“It would not be far from the truth to say that powerful images on a screen can promote fraternity. We experienced this on 1st and 2nd November 2008, during our Allende Film Weekend Festival and warmly thank the work done by our volunteers and staff from Casa Latinoamericana. In particular, we praise the interest, generosity and initiative shown by Raúl, Juan Luis, Juan Vicente, Paula, Nuria, Karina, Rodrigo and Jorge.”

Miguel Mercado, Chairman of the Latin American House

If Salvador Allende were alive today he would be 100 years old. If he had not been elected President of Chile in 1970 many of his ideas about a profound political and social change for his country would have perished. The main Chilean natural resource – copper – would not have been nationalised. The American companies that exploited it would not have embargoed the exports when refused compensation due to excessive profits.

Allende’s government should have lasted 6 years but the opposition did not allow his transformations to happen and succeeded in overthrowing him via a ferocious military coup in 1973. Various human consequences of this recent history of a Latin American country were present in the films selected. The protagonists and the sensitivity of their filmmakers indoubtly left a mark on those who came to the screenings.

01 October 2008 – 11:00 am – Free entry
At Latin American House Hall,
Ground Floor
10 Kingsgate Place
London NW6 4TA

Free home energy audits covering :
* Fuel bill problems
* Efficient heating system use
* Insulating the home
* Damp and condensation
* Grant applications for home heating improvements.

FREE ENERGY-CONCIOUS GIFTS!!!

Organised by Community Services Volunteers in partnership with National Energy Action.

Support Jorge Rodríguez raising £1000 for the human-rights-defender Peace Brigades International!

To help him please visit http://www.justgiving.com/jorgepbi
You can colaborate until 10th June 2008.

Our Legal & Social Advice Service is expanding with new services and extended hours:

A new Outreach Department has been created, with the aim of reaching those who cannot reach us. Now a Spanish, Portuguese or English speaking member of our experienced staff can deliver the legal advice you require – and a lot more – directly to your door!
* Are you isolated?
* Do you have caring responsibilities or physical or mental health problems which make it difficult for you to leave your home?
* We can visit you and offer emotional and practical support, as well as company.
* Call our Outreach Project Coordinator, Felipe M. Juberías, to discuss your situation and how we can help.

New Free Debt and Money Advice Service:
* new service on Friday afternoons
* offered in Spanish, Portuguese, English and French
* the service is delivered by a debt specialist from the RCJ Advice Bureau (an independent charity which is a member of the national Citizens Advice organisation)
[Learn more: English / Spanish / Portuguese]

In the Immigration Department:
* appointments are now offered on four days each week (Monday to Thursday)
* clients are also seen on the second Thursday evening and on the second Saturday of the month, to make it easier for those who work 9 to 5 on weekdays.

[Learn more...]

[Continue to the Latin American Association website]

Now that everyone is back from holidays is time to start the “new year” again. Sounds boring? Not necessarily! In the Latin American House we can provide you with tools to enjoy and make the most of this year.

• Have children? Nursery Menchú, the only bilingual Spanish/English nursery in North London, has a few vacancies available for children aged 2-5. Read more…

• Love cinema? Our Fortnight CineClub restarts the 12th September with Iberoamerican films. Read more…

• Want to learn something new? After major refurbisment works in its classroom and IT room, our Community Learning Centre is back offering a range of free language and IT courses. Read more…

• Troubled? Our Legal & Social Advice Service can help you with legal and immigration issues at no charge at all. Read more…

Are you interested in learning Spanish or Portugese?

If your answer is “YES!” to both questions, then help us to develop a new service that meets your needs by completing this easy on-line questionnaire! It will only take a few minutes to complete and you could win a free meal for two at the lovely Brazilian restaurant Barraco!!!

Fill the questionnaire and WIN!