Director Guillermo del Toro discusses The Shape of Water

December 3, 2017

A DGA Q&A in New York

Cinderella meets the creature from the Black Lagoon in Director Guillermo del Toro’s other-worldly romantic fantasy, The Shape of Water.

Set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America, del Toro’s film tells the story of Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a high-security government laboratory hidden in Baltimore. When she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover the lab’s classified secret – an intelligent scaled being from South America that lives in a water tank – she develops a unique bond with it and learns that its fate lies in the hands of a hostile government agent (Michael Shannon) and a marine biologist (Michael Stuhlbarg).

Following the DGA membership screening in New York on December 1, del Toro spoke about the making of the film in a conversation moderated by Director Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby).

In addition to The Shape of Water, del Toro’s filmography includes the features Cronos, Mimic, The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak; the pilot for the series The Strain; and episodes of the series Hora Marcada. He has been a member of the DGA since 1996.

You can listen to del Toro's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.

Pictures

Event photos by Krista Kennell - Print courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

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Director Guillermo del Toro speaks about the making of his new romantic fantasy, The Shape of Water, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Sally Hawkins as Elisa in Director Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

Director Guillermo del Toro (right) discusses the making of his new romantic fantasy, The Shape of Water, in a conversation with Director Baz Luhrmann (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Octavia Spencer as Zelda and Sally Hawkins as Elisa in Director Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

Director Baz Luhrmann (moderator) asks Guillermo del Toro a question about the making of The Shape of Water.

Sally Hawkins as Elisa and Doug Jones as the Amphibian Man in Director Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

The DGA New York Theater audience gives Director Guillermo del Toro a standing ovation following the screening of his new romantic fantasy, The Shape of Water.

Michael Shannon and Michael Stuhlbarg in Director Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

Directors Guillermo del Toro and Baz Luhrmann (moderator) pose for a photo following the New York DGA membership screening of del Toro’s new romantic fantasy, The Shape of Water.

Doug Jones as the Amphibian Man and Sally Hawkins as Elisa in Director Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

Director Guillermo del Toro chats with a member of the audience following the New York DGA membership screening of his new romantic fantasy, The Shape of Water.

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