January 16, 2010 – Is your Latin blood bubbling? Do you feel the need to move or be moved? Latin roots or not, Festivalissimo is just what the doctor ordered! Covering cinema to tango to cuisine to music, this Ibero-Latino-Americano festival highlights the cultural diversity of Latin America, Spain and Portugal in an amazing multi-disciplinary array of engagingly fun activities for all to enjoy.
From May 27 to June 13, 2010, Ste. Catherine Street (between Guy and St. Marc) transforms into Latin-party central, featuring outdoor film screenings and performances, Tango en el Barrio (Tango in the neighbourhood), Artféria (an outdoor art exhibition featuring antiques to art and everything bric-a-brac in between!) and, of course, La Noche Loca, Festivalissimo’s grand closing salsa-mambo-meringue-cha-cha-cha extravaganza.
Cinephiles delight in the best of the best of Ibero-Latino-American films, competing for honours in the following categories: documentaries, short films, animation, classics as well as Latinos del Norte that features full-length films made by Canadians of all origins.
The fun continues out-of-doors, with musical films serving as a dynamic backdrop to professional dancers who deftly incorporate their choreography into that of the film. Bring your dancing shoes!
If you’ve never tango-ed under the stars, then you don’t know what you’re missing! Tango en el barrio offers an astonishing week of passion, music, movement, and…instruction! Set up like a typical Buenos Aires barrio, this event features professional tangueros and world-class musicians, with free open classes for you to try to follow their lead. When you need to take a break, several kiosks featuring artwork, photography, sculpture, Argentinean wines and regional fare, storytellers, and more are at your disposal.
In addition, les Midis de Festivalissimo offers free midday shows at Place Alexis Nihon, and off-festival events include La Noche de los Cortos - a long evening of short films from Latin America, Spain and Portugal- and the Orchestre Symphonique de l’île featuring the colourful sounds and heated rhythms of Latin America, Spain and Portugal. ¡Olé!
Festivalissimo
