#WeCount campaign launched encouraging Latinos to engage and celebrate their diversity online

BEVERLY HILLS, CA (September 9, 2016) – Winners of the 31st Annual Imagen (Spanish for “image”) Awards, premier Latino entertainment awards program to advance the positive portrayal and number of Latinos on screen, were announced Friday night at a star-studded special ceremony held in the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The awards, with returning host comedian and actress Aida Rodriguez, were presented to an audience of approximately six hundred attendees representing the entertainment industry and Latino community.

The #WeCount campaign which was launched tonight, aims to change the negative representation of Latinos and ensure that Latinos across the U.S. are heard and seen at a time when Latino-bashing is becoming the public norm. Latinos across the country were asked to share a video using the #WeCount message which was played during the 31st Annual Imagen Awards celebration and was streamed live through Facebook.

The Imagen Foundation honored the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) with the President’s Award for their work as the Latino legal voice for civil rights in America and Gloria Calderon Kellett, Writer and Producer for shows How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, Devious Maids and Executive Producer of the upcoming remake of One Day at a Time with the Norman Lear Writer’s Award. Also, The Young Turks, is being recognized with the Vision Award for bringing meaningful news to a young generation and making it readily accessible across various multiple platforms through YouTube where it is viewed by millions. Among celebrities in attendance were Kate del Castillo, Edgar Ramírez, Lisa Vidal, Luis Guzmán, Alex Meneses, Richard Cabral, Judy Reyes, Lou Diamond Phillips, Lea Thompson, Justina Machado, Stephanie Beatriz, Jenna Ortega, Patricia Riggen, Constance Marie and many other Latino performers. They were joined by legendary TV Producer and Imagen Founder Norman Lear and Vilma S. Martínez, President of LA Board of Harbor Commissioners accepting on behalf of MALDEF.

“For more than 30 years we have been the only event recognizing and advocating for the advancement and positive portrayal of Latinos in entertainment,” said Helen Hernandez, President and Founder of the Imagen Foundation which presents the Imagen Awards. “There is still great room for improvement when it comes to diversifying the entertainment industry. When only five percent of characters in the most popular films are Latino means we need to continue our efforts and advocate for ourselves, which is why we launched #WeCount.”

Imagen Awards 2016 winners were judged and selected in twenty-two categories by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latino community leaders.

The complete list of 2016 Imagen Awards winners in their respective categories follows:

Best Picture

  • The 33 (Warner Bros. / Alcon Entertainment / Phoenix Pictures)

Best Director

  • Patricia Riggen, The 33 (Warner Bros. / Alcon Entertainment / Phoenix Pictures)

Best Actor – Feature Film

  • Antonio Banderas, The 33 (Warner Bros. / Alcon Entertainment / Phoenix Pictures)

Best Actress – Feature Film

  • Juliette Binoche, The 33 (Warner Bros. / Alcon Entertainment / Phoenix Pictures)

Best Supporting Actor – Feature Film

  • Rodrigo Santoro, The 33 (Warner Bros. / Alcon Entertainment / Phoenix Pictures)

Best Supporting Actress – Feature Film

  • Cote de Pablo, The 33 (Warner Bros. / Alcon Entertainment / Phoenix Pictures)

Best Primetime Television Program – Drama

  • Major Crimes (TNT; Warner Bros. Television, Shephard/Robin Company)

Best Primetime Television Program – Comedy

  • Jane The Virgin (The CW; CBS Studios and Warner Bros TV w/Electus)

Best Primetime Program: Special or Made-for-TV-Movie

  • Show Me a Hero (HBO; HBO Miniseries in association with Blown Deadline and Pretty Pictures)

Best Actor – Television

  • Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle (Amazon; Amazon Studios, American Zoetrope, Coconut Pictures, Picrow, Pictures in a Row)

Best Actress – Television

  • Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin (The CW; CBS Studios and Warner Bros TV w/Electus)

Best Supporting Actor – Television

  • Jaime Camil, Jane the Virgin (The CW; CBS Studios and Warner Bros TV w/Electus)

Best Supporting Actress – Television

  • Lisa Vidal, Being Mary Jane (BET Networks; Akil Productions)

Best Young Actor – Television

  • Isabela Moner, 100 Things to Do Before High School (Nickelodeon)

Best Variety or Reality Show

  • MasterChef (Fox; Endemol Shine North America)

Best Children’s Programming

  • Dora and Friends: Into the City! (Nickelodeon)

Best Documentary for Film or Television

  • The Latin Explosion: A New America (HBO; HBO Documentary Films)

Best National Informational Program

  • Pati’s Mexican Table (WETA / American Public Television; Follow Productions)

Best Local Informational Program

  • Puerto Rican Voices (WIPR / The Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College – CUNY)

Best On-Air Advertising

  • Space for Dreams (Caviar Films)

Best Theatrical Short or Student Film

  • Vamonos (Film Independent/Project Involve)

Best Web Series

  • Through The Wall (The Guardian; Human Resources Company)

Event sponsors included Nielsen, Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo, CBS Entertainment Diversity, Paramount Pictures, California State University-Los Angeles, Campanario Entertainment, Cooperative of American Physicians, AltaMed, Lear Family Foundation, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and FotoFlipz.

About The Imagen Awards

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 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 online at www.imagen.org and its social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.