Veteran directorand producer Mel Stuart will receive the International Documentary Association'sPioneer Award at the 19th Annual IDA Distinguished Documentary AchievementAward ceremony in Los Angeles on Dec 12.

"Mel Stuart richly deserves this recognition," IDApresident Michael Donaldson said in a statement. "His films have enlightenedpast and current audiences about some of the important stories of our times.They will endure for future generations."

Stuart's creditsinclude documentaries The Making Of The President (1960 and 1968), Four Days InNovember (1964) and Wattstax (1973) as well as Willy Wonka And TheChocolate Factory(1971).

After graduatingfrom New York University and Columbia, Stuart found work as a director for theCBS network where he met David Wolper,. Several years later he was directing TheMaking of the Presidentfor David Wolper Productions in Los Angles and went on to direct more than 150titles.

He has twiceserved as IDA president and is still a member of the board of trustees. He alsoserves as co-chairman of the Documentary Credits Coalition, which lobbies tokeep film-maker credits on documentaries after certain cable executivesattempted to remove them from broadcasts.