Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's fantasy romance "The Shape of Water" led nominations for the Golden Globes on Monday, heading a list of dramas and comedies on issues ranging from press freedom, war, racism and the many aspects of love.
"The Shape of Water," a surreal drama about a relationship between a river creature and a mute cleaner, collected seven nods across the board, including for best director; actors Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer and Richard Jenkins; screenplay and score.
Del Toro said he was grateful for the recognition, adding in a statement: "Above all, 'The Shape of Water' is about love overcoming fear and embracing the Other."
"The Post," Steven Spielberg's timely drama about press freedom, followed with six nominations, including for its director and stars Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep.
The Golden Globes are chosen by the 90-plus journalists of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but nominees often mirror the top films and actors nominated in January for the Oscars, the movie industry's highest awards.
"The Shape of Water" and "The Post" are also seen as front-runners for Oscars. They will compete for the top drama prize at the Jan. 7 Golden Globe ceremony in Beverly Hills against small-town tale "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," which also got six nominations; British World War II tale "Dunkirk"; and "Call Me By Your Name," a gay romance starring actor nominees Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer.
Mother-daughter comedy "Lady Bird" got four nods, including for stars Saiorse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf. However, first-time director Greta Gerwig was snubbed in an all-male list for her category.
Other comedy or musical film nominees included James Franco's "The Disaster Artist," racial horror movie "Get Out," ice-skating saga "I, Tonya" and "The Greatest Showman."
Movie studio Twentieth Century Fox and its Fox Searchlight unit for independent film dominated the nominations, sharing a total of 27 nods.
Celebrated actor Daniel Day-Lewis was recognized for "Phantom Thread," which he has said will be his last film.
British actor Daniel Kaluuya got a nod for his breakout role in "Get Out," a satire on modern race relations set within a psychological thriller.
Monday's nominations included A-listers like Angelina Jolie, who got two for her producing work on Cambodian foreign-language entry "First They Killed My Father" and an animated film about Afghanistan, "The Breadwinner."
For television, British royal series "The Crown," "Game of Thrones," "The Handmaid's Tale, "Stranger Things" and "This Is Us" will compete for the best drama series award.
"Black-ish," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Master of None," "SMILF" and "Will & Grace" were nominated in the best TV comedy category.
