LOS ANGELES, March. 4 (Xinhua) -- "The Shape of Water," a drama film directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, took home the top prize at the 90th Academy Awards here on Sunday.
In addition to best picture, the film won the Oscars for directing, original score and production design.
On stage, del Toro said in the acceptance speech: "I want to dedicate this to every young filmmaker, the youth that is showing us how things are done."
Set in Baltimore in 1962, the plot follows a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory who falls in love with a captured humanoid-amphibian creature.
A mature, yet childlike love story, "The Shape of Water" is based on an idea del Toro had as a boy when he first saw the 1950s cult creature classic "Creature of the Black Lagoon." It's taken him almost 50 years to bring it to the screen.
"The Shape of Water" has made a big splash since its release starting from Dec. 1.
Made for only 19 million U.S. dollars, the movie has grossed 126 million dollars worldwide to date.
Perfect World Pictures, a China-based diversified entertainment company, also won big at the 90th Academy Awards.
Bankrolled by the Beijing-based company, "Darkest Hour" and "Phantom Thread" won the Oscars for Best Actor ("Darkest Hour"), Best Makeup & Hairstyling ("Darkest Hour") and Best Costume Design ("Phantom Thread").
Gary Oldman, 59, won the Best Actor for "Darkest Hour." The English actor's phenomenal performance as Winston Churchill made a strong impression on the audience.
In his acceptance speech, Oldman appeared near to tears. "The movies, such is their power, captivated a young man from South London and gave him a dream," said Oldman.
Francis McDormand won the Best Actress at the 90th Academy Awards for her role in dark comedy-drama film "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." It is the actress' fifth Oscar nomination and second win.
McDormand, 60, made a plea for Hollywood to tell more female stories in her acceptance speech.
"We all have stories to tell. Invite us into your offices and we'll tell you all about them," she said.
Jimmy Kimmel, who returned to host the ceremony for the second year in a row, kicked off the night with a monologue that bounced between topics from last year's best picture snafu to Harvey Weinstein's scandal and Hollywood's movements to end sexual harassment and gender inequality within their industry.
The Best Picture was presented by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, who had mistakenly named La La Land the Best Picture winner on stage after they were accidentally handed the envelope for Emma Stone's Best Actress award, rather than Moonlight's winning card.
Acknowledging the fiasco in 2017, Beatty said: "It's so nice seeing you again." Dunaway added: "Presenting is lovelier second time around."
