Imagen Award Winners Told

“La Bamba,” “The Milagro Beanfield War” and “Stand and Deliver” won 1988 Imagen Latino media-image awards on Thursday for their positive portrayals of Latinos. And actor Edward James Olmos received a special career-achievement award--never before given--for his skills both behind the scenes and on screen.

“This year we can celebrate that there are so many great, great shows,” Ricardo Mestres, co-chairman of the awards and president of Touchstone Pictures, told an audience of 360 at the Beverly Hilton.

Three Imagen awards are customarily handed out. But last year the TV series “L.A. Law” was the sole winner, due to a dearth of films dealing with Hispanic issues in a positive light, according to Habush.

“It was a terribly frustrating year (in 1987) because, as much as we wanted to honor three (productions), the standards weren’t high enough, so we tried to send a message,” Mestres said.

But there is more to be accomplished, Raymond Menendez, director of “Stand and Deliver,” said in accepting the award. “Our representation is still not proportionate,” he said.

Cited for special recognition were: “Born in East L.A.,” “Gaby, A True Story,” the made-for-television film “Gangs” and the TV series “L.A. Law.”

Jerry Freedman Habush, associate executive director of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, which sponsored the fourth annual awards ceremony, said this year’s entries “made great contributions to enabling the world to understand better the Hispanic community. (These portrayals) do a great deal toward breaking down stereotypes.”