Turns out Guillermo del Toro not only appreciates Baltimore’s cinematic heritage, but was anxious to pay tribute to it in his Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water.”

Del Toro’s movie, about a mute, lovelorn cleaning woman at a secret government research facility who falls in love with a gill man kidnapped from his South American home, is set in Baltimore. While it was primarily filmed in Toronto, del Toro said the film’s location was meant as a tribute to some of Baltimore’s favorite sons.

Growing up, the Mexican-born director said, he was a big fan of Barry Levinson’s Baltimore trilogy, the first three films the Baltimore native set and shot in his hometown. Setting “The Shape of Water” in Baltimore, del Toro said, was meant as a tribute to those movies.

“They’re all landmarks of American cinema,” he said, also adding a small apology.

“I know we screwed up with the accents,” del Toro said. “I’m very, very, very aware with that.”

And then, as he was getting ready to leave the backstage interview room and celebrate his Oscar wins — for best director and best picture — he threw out one more accolade to Charm City’s finest.

“And then there’s John Waters, man.”

— Chris Kaltenbach