The Shape of Water

The press conference for this film takes place on Monday, September 11 at 2:30pm.

"Well, the first thing is that I love monsters. I identify with monsters."

No filmmaker has plumbed the soul of screen monsters with more fire and empathy than Guillermo del Toro. The master behind Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, and Pacific Rim has long shown a deep understanding of what monsters mean to us, and why we need them. The Shape of Water is his strongest expression yet of the shivering appeal of monsters, and the unsettling notion that the monstrous can be revealed in many forms.

In 1963, Elisa (Sally Hawkins) works as a janitor at a US government laboratory. One night, a strange, amphibious creature (del Toro regular Doug Jones) is wrangled into the facility. Elisa is more fascinated than frightened. What scares her more is the threat posed by the federal agent in charge (Michael Shannon, also appearing at this year's Festival in The Current War). Cruel and self-serving, he seems convinced the surest way to handle the mysterious creature is to kill it. With the help of her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins), her co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer), and a sympathetic scientist (Michael Stuhlbarg), Elisa hatches a plan to save the creature's life, at the risk of her own.

Strange marvels abound in The Shape of Water. Marshalling these remarkable performances together with stunning production design, fluid camerawork, and Alexandre Desplat's gorgeous score, del Toro delivers unforgettable film poetry. Movie fans will luxuriate in the wealth of references to classic monster movies and mid-century thrillers. Some will note the film's layered subtexts of social critique. But none of that is necessary to enjoy the pure pleasure of watching a master filmmaker working at the height of his powers, exploring the world he most loves.

CAMERON BAILEY