8 Ways Nominated for an Imagen Award

Nominees for 24th Annual Imagen Awards Announced
Black-tie Event Scheduled for August 21st at Beverly Hilton Hotel to Honor Latino Talent and Projects in Television, Film and Live Theater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 15, 2009 MEDIA CONTACT
info@imagen.org

LOS ANGELES, CA - The Imagen Foundation has announced the nominees for the 24th Annual Imagen (Spanish for “image”) Awards, honoring positive portrayals of Latinos and Latino culture in entertainment. The awards will be presented at a black-tie dinner gala on Friday, August 21st, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Major sponsors of the event include Nielsen, The Walt Disney Company, Disney/ABC Television Group, The Lear Family Foundation and Latino Public Broadcasting.

The Imagen (pronounced ee-mah-hen) Awards program was established in 1985 from a suggestion by veteran television producer Norman Lear to encourage and recognize the positive portrayals of Latinos in the media. Later, as The Imagen Foundation, it expanded its programs and initiatives to further its mission to serve as a bridge between the Latino community and the entertainment industry in providing access, education, and resources for Latinos both in the industry, as well as those seeking careers in entertainment. More information on the organization as well as details of the event can be found at www.imagen.org, click here to go to our Facebook fan page or www.twitter.com/imagenfound.

Winners will be selected by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latino community leaders. Following are the finalists for this year’s Imagen Awards in their respective categories. [Please note that two categories did not meet the minimum number of entries required for award consideration and therefore have been eliminated from contention: Best Actress/Feature Film and Best Supporting Actress/Feature Film.]

Best Primetime Television Program
Ugly Betty (ABC) Lost (ABC Studios)
Cold Case (CBS) Capadocia (HBO)
Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (Lifetime)

Best Actor/Television
Hector Bustamante, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (Lifetime) Benjamin Bratt, The Cleaner (A&E)
James Roday, Psych (USA Network)

Best Actress/ Television
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty (ABC) Alana de la Garza, Law & Order (NBC)
Selena Gomez, Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel); Judy Reyes, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (Lifetime)
Caitlin Sanchez, Dora the Explorer (Nickelodeon)

Best Supporting Actor/Television
Raymond Cruz, The Closer (TNT) Rudy Reyes, Generation Kill (HBO)
A Martinez, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (Lifetime) Jimmy Smits, Dexter (Showtime)
Carlos Bernard, 24 (Fox Television) Jorge Garcia, Lost (ABC)

Best Supporting Actress/Television
Ana Ortiz, Ugly Betty (ABC) Marlene Forte, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (Lifetime)
Cote de Pablo, NCIS (CBS) Eva La Rue, CSI: Miami (CBS)
Ana Ortiz, Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (Lifetime) Maria Canals-Barrera, Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel)
Gina Ravera, The Closer (TNT)

Best Children’s Programming
Dora The Explorer (Nickelodeon) Handy Manny (Disney ABC)
Maya and Miguel (Scholastic Media) Nick News with Linda Ellerbee (Nickelodeon)

Best Documentary/ Television
A Class Apart (Latino Public Broadcasting) The Last Conquistador (Latino Public Broadcasting)
Latinos ’08 (City Projects) Habla Ya (HBO)
Angel in the Hood (EZ Public Relations)

Best National Informational Program
Despierta America – De Lava Platos a Chef (Univision) Despierta America – La Casa de Martha (Univision)
National Wildlife Federation – Campus Chill Out (Mundo Maravilla) Viva La Familia - Niñas Teniendo Niños (Todobebe)
Extra (Time Telepictures)

Best Local Informational Program
Inside Locke High School (KCET PBS) Camino a la Universidad (WLTV Univision 23)
Vista L.A. (KABC) Dominican Dreams (KTTV Fox11)

Best On-Air Advertising
El Corrido de Papi - Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Arenas Entertainment) Crash the Parties ’08 (SiTV)
Mun2 Image Spot: You’re On (Mun2) FSE Strings (Fox Sports en Español)
HBO Latino Year Ender (HBO) Hershey’s Mothers Day Vignette (Telemundo Network)

Best On-Air Advertising (PSA’s)
LatinoBud.com – Hispanic Scholarship Fund (4 Elements Entertainment) LatinoBud.com – Hispanic Kidney Foundation (4 Elements Entertainment)
University Health Systems – Child in Injury (Creative Civilization) Malaria No More – Every Goal Saves a Life (Fox Sports International)
U.S. Army Vignette (Telemundo Network)

Best Variety or Reality Show
De La Hoya/Pacquiao 24/7 (HBO) Jammin (SiTV)
Quiero Mis Quinces –Cristina (MTV tr3s) Dog Whisperer (National Geographic Channel)
The Chicas Project (Mun2)

Best Feature Film
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures); Don’t Let Me Drown (Parts & Labor Film)
Nothing Like the Holidays (Overture Films) Sleepdealer (Maya Entertainment)

Best Actor/Feature Film
Andy Garcia, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Luis Guzman, Maldeamores (Maya Entertainment)
George Lopez, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Edward James Olmos, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Best Supporting Actor/Feature Film
Manolo Cardona, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) Cheech Marin, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Paul Rodriguez, Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Best Director/Feature Film
Kenneth Castillo, The Drive-by Chronicles: Sidewayz, (Plus Entertainment) Alex Rivera, Sleepdealer (Maya Entertainment)
Georgina Riedel, How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer (Maya Entertainment) Carlitos Ruiz, Maldeamores (Maya Entertainment)

Best Feature Documentary
Viva La Causa (Bill Brummel Prods.) Soy Soldado (Juan Escobedo)
Beisbol (Winston Davis Assoc.) Pushin’ Forward: The James Lilly Story (Fanlight Prods.)
Crude (atRadical Media)

Best Theatrical Short
The Book of the Border (UCLA Film & TV) Francisco Ordoñez (Varona Prods.)
On A Sunday Afternoon (Valor Prods.) Rising Up (Eduardo Letamendi)
Tupi – Rebellion in the Backlands (Sandwiches & Juice Prods.)

Best Live Theatrical Production
8 Ways to Say I Love My Life and Mean It! (CASA 101) Rick Najera’s Daddy Diaries (Latinologues Inc.)
Lydia (Los Angeles Center Theater Group)


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