Film Festival Board of Directors President Nicole Houser said, “The Mendez Award is awarded to someone who has succeeded and made a positive impact in the Television, Film, and Broadcast Industries, or has supported film and television and has given back to the community. Director John Waters has been a vociferous champion for Maryland filmmaking and is always known as one of the most ‘adventuresome’ directors in the nation.” Houser pointed out that Waters wrote and directed such films as “Hairspray” and “Pink Flamingos,” and both have been named to the U.S. Library of Congress’ National Film Registry.
John Waters will be appearing at the Maryland Theatre via video, accepting the award. He has a prior commitment on the other side of the country.
Waters is the author of ten books: Shock Value, Crackpot, Pink Flamingos and Other Trash, Hairspray, Female Trouble and Multiple Maniacs, Art: A Sex Book (co-written with Bruce Hainley), Role Models, Carsick, Make Trouble, Mr. Know-It-All, and in May, 2022 his first novel, Liarmouth: A Feel Bad Romance. In 2022 Liarmouth was optioned by Village Roadshow Pictures for John to write and direct the movie.
Two music compilation CDs have been released by New Line Records, “A John Waters Christmas” (2004) followed up by “A Date with John Waters” (2007). In 2017 Third Man Records released a 7″ EP of Waters reading “Make Trouble” and in 2021 Sub Pop records distributed his “Prayer to Pasolini” as part of its Singles Club. John’s audiobooks “Carsick” and “Mr. Know-It-All” were both nominated for Grammy Awards in the Best-Spoken Word Album category. Sub Pop Records released the 7″ single, “It’s in the Book,” in 2022, which is Waters’ cover of a 1952 hit comedy recording by Johnny Standley. Sub Pop released a new 7″ single, “John Waters Covers ‘The Singing Dogs’ “Jingle Bells'” b/w “It’s a Punk Rock Christmas,” in November 2024.
John Waters is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Additionally, he is a past member of the Andy Warhol Foundation Board and the Wexner Center International Arts Advisory Council. He is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Baltimore Museum of Art as well as the Maryland Film Festival Board and has been a key advisor to the Provincetown International Film Festival since it began in 1999, the same year Waters was honored as the first recipient of PIFF’s “Filmmaker on the Edge” award.
In September 2014 Film Society of Lincoln Center honored John Waters’ filmmaking with a 10- day celebration entitled “Fifty Years of John Waters: How Much Can You Take?” featuring a complete retrospective of his work. The next year the British Film Institute also honored John’s contribution to cinema. In 2015, Waters was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the same by the Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA) in May 2016, as well as two by School of Visual Arts (SVA), in 2020 and 2022. The French Minister of Culture bestowed the rank of Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters to Mr. Waters in 2015. In February 2017 John Waters was honored with the Writers Guild of America East’s Ian McLellan Hunter Award for his body of work as a writer in motion pictures. In September 2023, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened “John Waters: Pope of Trash,” the first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to John Waters’ contributions to cinema, and he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. American Cinema Editors selected Waters to receive the ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award in 2024.
Waters is a photographer whose work has been shown in galleries all over the world. In 2011 he was selected as a juror for the Venice Biennale. He’s performed his one man spoken-word lectures entitled “End of the World”, “This Filthy World”, “False Negative”, “Naked Truth” or “Make Trouble” and his annual Christmas show, “A John Waters Christmas”, at colleges, museums, film festivals and comedy clubs around the world. Waters appeared in many motion pictures and television shows including Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild, Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown, Seed of Chucky, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. The Simpsons, Ryan Murphy’s Feud, The Blacklist, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Search Party and the Chucky TV Series. He also was one of the faces of a Nike campaign in 2019 and the Saint Laurent fall/winter 2020 menswear campaign in both 2020 and 2024, and John Waters was featured with Mink Stole in the 2022 Calvin Klein Pride campaign.
“John Waters is one of the best-known film directors who came from Maryland. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown co-founder Tom Riford. “John Waters has testified in favor of State of Maryland assistance for filmmaking. He is one of the most recognized independent filmmakers in the nation.” Riford also praised John Water’s dedication to helping the arts. “We also want to thank the Mendez Family for being such steadfast supporters of the film festival, and for continually presenting the annual award.” Former CIA agent and award-winning author Jonna Mendez will be presenting this year’s award.
The first official Mendez Award was named for and was awarded in 2013 to Antonio “Tony” Mendez, CIA Master of Disguise, Founder of the Spy Museum, and Award-Winning Author and Painter. The award was given one month after “ARGO” won the Best Picture Academy Award. On stage that night, to help accept the first Mendez Award included wife of Tony Mendez, Jonna Mendez.
Other award recipients have included: in 2014, Joe Carnahan, Film Director and Producer, known as one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hollywood, and for his ongoing support of MIFF-H as the volunteer Creative Director.
In 2015, Nora Roberts, Author and Entrepreneur, known as the world’s most famous Romance Writer, best-selling author, and contributor for Washington County’s economic development and tourism. Many of her books have been turned into films and television movies.
In 2016, then-Frederick County Councilman Billy Shreve, known for his advocacy in supporting film in Maryland, and for being the driving force behind Classmates4Life (an anti-drug film festival for all school students in Frederick County, beginning a state-wide pilot program). The contest received national recognition for its public awareness campaign.
In 2017, Kerry Cahill, award-winning actress from AMC’s The Walking Dead. Cahill was also a supporting actress in the Oscar nominated film Mudbound (2017). She was also recognized for her work with veterans’ organizations.
In 2018, Amir Arison, an award-winning actor, from NBC’s The Blacklist. Arison was recognized for his ongoing support for Arts nonprofits, and for his work supporting treatment and help for people with mental illness and his passion for helping animal rescue and animal adoption.
In 2019, then-Maryland Governor Larry Hogan was recognized for his leadership in assisting the film industry in Maryland. Governor Hogan was also recognized for his efforts in supporting the Historic Maryland Theatre expansion, the expansion of the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, and the expansion of the University System of Maryland Hagerstown. He signed into law the Maryland Film Incentive Program, which helps independent filmmaking, and provides increased tax incentives for the film industry. While being a national leader during the Covid Pandemic, Governor Larry Hogan is a humanitarian and additionally has helped many non-profit organizations.
Barry Ratcliffe, who received the award in 2021, was recognized for his work in film and television, and for his considerable nonprofit work. He is known as “Hollywood’s Auctioneer,” and has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is active in community drama and arts, volunteering to teach classes and does motivational talks. He is very active in drug-free programs and has been a national social issue spokesperson.
In 2022, Hollywood actress Ann Mahoney was recognized for her contributions to filmmaking and television, and for her women’s rights advocacy. She additionally was recognized for her work as a university professor of drama and acting.
The Mendez Award in 2023 was presented to Stephen Schupak, Maryland Public Television’s statewide network’s executive vice president and station manager. During his 20-plus year tenure at MPT, the network earned several television industry honors for productions including Star-Spangled Spectacular: The Bicentennial of our National Anthem and its long-running series MotorWeek, plus the two-part documentary Music of Ireland, Potomac by Air, annual Chesapeake Bay Week® programming, and popular weekly series Maryland Farm & Harvest. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter inducted Schupak into its prestigious Silver Circle in 2020. Additionally, Schupak was honored for his community support and involvement in numerous issues.
In 2024, the Hall of Fame broadcaster Johnny Holliday was recognized with the Mendez Award. This was for his more than 50 years in radio, television, film and stage, and for his humanitarian work helping numerous nonprofits and charities.
