'Shape of Water' leads with 12 BAFTA nods; Joanna Lumley to host gala

Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Guillermo del Toro's romantic fantasy The Shape of Water was nominated for 12 EE British Academy Film Awards or BAFTAs in London Tuesday.

Following with nine nods apiece are Darkest Hour and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Blade Runner 2049 and Dunkirk scored eight nominations; I, Tonya received five; and Call Me by Your Name and Phantom Thread each garnered four.

In the running for Best Film are Call Me By Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards.

Shortlisted for Best British Film are Darkest Hour, The Death of Stalin, God's Own Country, Lady MacBeth and Paddington 2.

Up for Best Director are Denis Villeneuve for Blade Runner 2049, Luca Guadagnino for Call Me By Your Name, Christopher Nolan for Dunkirk, Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water and Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards.

The nominees for Best Actress are Annette Bening for Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Frances McDormand for Three Billboards, Margot Robbie for I, Tonya, Sally Hawkins for The Shape of Water and Saoirse Ronan for Lady Bird.

Competing for Best Actor are Daniel Day-Lewis for Phantom Thread, Daniel Kaluuya for Get Out, Gary Oldman for Darkest Hour, Jamie Bell for Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool and Timothee Chalamet for Call Me by Your Name.

Winners are to be announced Feb. 18 at the Royal Albert Hall. Absolutely Fabulous icon Joanna Lumley is set to host the event, which will be broadcast on the BBC.