The Shape of Water leads this year''s Bafta film award nominations, with 12 nods in total.

The fantasy romance stars British actress Sally Hawkins as a janitor who forms a relationship with an amphibious creature being held in captivity.

Darkest Hour and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri both received nine nominations.

Gary Oldman, Jamie Bell and Daniel Kaluuya are among the British nominees, all recognised for best actor.

Hawkins and Irish actress Saoirse Ronan are among those nominated for best leading actress.

They face competition from Frances McDormand for Three Billboards, and Margot Robbie, who is nominated for her portrayal of controversial Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya.

Call Me by Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk and Three Billboards are nominated alongside The Shape of Water for best film.

Three Billboards and Darkest Hour are also up for outstanding British film, along with Paddington 2, Lady Macbeth, God's Own Country and The Death of Stalin.

Paddington 2 has three nominations in total, including adapted screenplay and a best supporting actor nod for Hugh Grant.

His competition includes Christopher Plummer, who replaced Kevin Spacey at the last minute in All The Money In The World.

That category also includes Willem Dafoe for The Florida Project, and Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson, who are both nominated for Three Billboards.

The nominees for supporting actress include Allison Janney for her portrayal of Tonya Harding's mother in I, Tonya.

The actress, best known for her role in The West Wing, won best supporting actress at Sunday night's Golden Globes.

She faces Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour), Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) and Octavia Spencer (The Shape Of Water).

Source:AFP