John Waters, Baltimore's icon of all things odd, will headline Ocean City Film Festival
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When the Ocean City Film Festival returns for its seventh installment, it will include a one-of-a kind event: An evening with iconic Baltimore filmmaker John Waters.
Waters will headline the seventh annual festival, coming to theaters and venues in the resort from March 2-5, screening 70 independent films from around the world. Waters will give a live performance on Saturday, March 4, at The Ballroom at Ocean Downs Casino.
Waters’ spoken-word show, titled “The End of the World,” will be the first time the artist has performed around Ocean City and will be exceptional for its intimate, limited-seated setting. His all-new, comic monologue will riff on "all of today’s despair and diseases, desires and desperation" — and also his memories of visiting Ocean City through the years.
“One summer when I was an angry teenager, I lived under the Boardwalk at 9th Street in Ocean City and dreamed of making weird films,” Waters said. “Now I’m coming back, and, hey, I did just that. You can, too! That is what film festivals are all about — inspiring creative lunacy.”
How to get tickets for John Waters show
For the John Waters show, general admission tickets are limited, with a small number of VIP tickets to meet and greet Waters after the show available at a special price and on a first-come-first-serve basis.
General admission tickets are $89, which includes the performance and $10 free play at the casino. The VIP pass with meet & greet session with Waters is $159, which includes premium seating, $10 free play and two drink tickets. Find out more about tickets here.
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A true Baltimore icon of oddity
Though John Waters made his name early in his career with cult hits in the early 1970s such as "Multiple Maniacs," "Pink Flamingos" and "Female Trouble," he really became a legend with 1988's "Hairspray."
The odd Baltimore classic that celebrated all the quirks of Baltimore culture of the early 1960s became a modest hit on its own before inspiring both a megahit Broadway show and a remake that starred John Travolta in the Edna Turnblad role made famous by the late Divine in the original.
Film festival will celebrate local ties, films from all over
The festival will also premier two films with local interest.
“Hedgehog” was produced by Dave Messick of Unscene Productions and filmed at Mariner’s Country Down in Berlin. “Biggest Little Farm: The Return” is a 30-minute documentary directed by Ocean City native John Chester as a follow-up to his award-winning feature film.
"Biggest Little Farm," which made its Delmarva premiere at the 2019 Ocean City Film Festival, documents the Chesters’ journey and the farm’s transformation over the course of eight years.
MORE::'Biggest Little Farm' documentary puts Decatur grads in big spotlight
The seventh year of the festival will showcase independent films in multiple genres at iconic Ocean City venues including Morley Hall at Seacrets, Flagship Cinemas in West OC, Fox Gold Coast Theater, Nick’s, Ocean Downs Casino and the Ocean City Performing Arts Center. Themes of packaged film showcases include Maritime Life; Veterans; Dark & Mysterious; Between Worlds; Resilient Women; Family Dynamics; Sex, Love, Romance & Intimacy; Perseverance; Outsiders; Comedy, and Hassle Us – We’re Local.
Where to get your passes for film festival
Complete information about the festival, including a list of films, parties, Q&As and events is available at OCMdFilmFestival.com. Passes are available for one day of films and parties, four days of films and parties, and individually-sold John Waters tickets. Also listed on the website are special, off-season hotel rates for festival goers.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Ocean City Film Festival lands Baltimore icon John Waters as headliner
