Andy Garcia to receive Imagen Awards lifetime honor

Apple TV’s “Acapulco” led all series as the Imagen Foundation announced nominations for the 41st Annual Imagen Awards on Thursday. “Acapulco” scored 13 nods in the competition, which recognizes Latino talent and creative work across film, television, documentaries, digital media and music.

The Imagen Foundation also announced that actor, filmmaker, producer and musician Andy Garcia will receive the org’s lifetime achievement award. (Garcia was also nominated in the best supporting actor – drama field for “Landman.”) Also, the creators behind “Acapulco” and Apple TV will receive the creative achievement award, while Los Angeles County First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis will be presented with the president’s award “for her distinguished career in public service and longstanding commitment to advancing opportunity and representation for Latino communities.”

This year’s Imagen Awards will be spread out among 25 categories — but Imagen Foundation founder/president Helen Hernandez noted that there was a lack of submissions for director, lead and supporting performers in film. That’s a reminder, she noted, that there’s still too little Latino representation on screen.

“This year’s nominees reflect the extraordinary diversity of Latino talent across television, documentaries, independent productions, digital media and music,” Hernandez said in a statement. “We are proud to recognize the creators, actors and artists whose work represents our community and the many different perspectives within it.

“However, we cannot ignore the continued lack of Latino representation in media and the fact that we are unable to present awards in the film categories Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting due to a lack of submissions. This should concern our entire industry. As a business, Latinos are a $3 trillion audience, and by overlooking the value of our community, it directly affects the economic health and longevity of the entertainment industry. We celebrate the progress represented by this year’s nominees, while continuing to challenge the industry to do better.”

-Variety