'The Shape of Water', 'Three Billboards...' get new India release dates

Oscar nominated films "The Shape of Water" and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" have new release dates in India.

"The Shape of Water" was earlier scheduled to release in India on February 2 and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" on February 16.

But Fox Star Studios will now be releasing "The Shape of Water" and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" in India on February 16 and 23 respectively, read a statement.

"The Shape of Water" is leading the 90th Academy Awards' nomination pack with nods in a maximum of 13 categories.

Guillermo del Toro's "The Shape of Water" - a love story between a mute woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore and a misunderstood aquatic monster -- is in the race to win an award in Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay categories along with Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer and Richard Jenkins in contention for the statuette in Lead Actress, Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor categories respectively.

"Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri" got a spot in seven categories. The film is about a mother who, when the police in her town fail to find a suspect in her daughter's murder, purchases three billboards to call public attention to the unsolved crime.

Toro is honoured to be in the race to win an Academy award.

"It is a great honour and joy to be here, today with a picture that remains faithful to all my convictions and the images I have loved since infancy. I want to thank the Academy and my professional colleagues for their kind disposition towards 'The Shape of Water'.

"I share these nominations with all the young filmmakers in Mexico and Latin America who put their hopes in our craft and the intimate stories of their imagination," Toro said.

"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" helmer Martin McDonagh also said: "I am thrilled that our film has received seven nominations from the Academy... I can't wait to celebrate with them all come March 4."

The 90th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be held on March 4 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It will be aired in India live on Star Movies and Star Movies Select on March 5.

--IANS

sug/rb/bg