The Shape of Water leads Oscar nominations with 13

Fantasy romance “The Shape of Water” topped the Oscars nominations list on Tuesday with 13 nods, one shy of the record, as the Academy also gave a rare nomination to a woman in the directing category.

 In second place was tense World War II epic “Dunkirk,” with eight nods, while crime drama “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” generally thought to be the favorite in the best picture category, picked up seven nominations.

 But “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro’s Cold War-set story of love between a mute cleaning woman and a mystery merman-like creature, dominated the competition. It scored nods for best picture, best director and best actress for its star Sally Hawkins.