Yesterday, while a bunch of Latino musicians were being honored at the Latin Grammys in New York, Mel Gibson was being honored on this coast by a group of Latino business owners for his film Apocalypto.

Enthusiastic applause greeted the Oscar-winning actor and director as he walked onstage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to receive the Latino Business Association’s Chairman’s Visionary Award.

Gibson answered questions from association Chairman Rick Sarmiento about the film, a Mayan-language epic filmed in Mexico chronicling the decline of the native civilization.

The head of the organization says that Gibson was worthy of the award for using all Latino actors in the film, while Gibson pointed out that the movie was cast using all Mexican actors, most of whom were not actors at all.

Gibson was also quoted as saying that his movie is “a badge of honor for the Latino community.

Spain’s 20 Minutos published a really unflattering photo of Gibson at the event, check it out.

Apocalypto movie site

Via / Guardian Unlimited