LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fantastical romance The Shape Of Water won best picture, the film industry's most prestigious honour, at the Oscar 2018 ceremony.

The Fox Searchlight movie's Mexican film-maker, Guillermo del Toro, took home the best director Oscar, dashing the hopes of a rare win by a woman or a black film-maker.

The movie about a mute cleaning woman who falls in love with a strange river creature had gone into the ceremony with a leading 13 nominations, and won a total of four Academy Awards.

As expected, Britain's Gary Oldman was named best actor for playing World War Two leader Winston Churchill in Warner Bros.' Darkest Hour, while Frances McDormand's woman in a fury was a popular best actress winner for Fox Searchlight's dark comedy Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Elsewhere, awards were spread around, recognising first-timers, LGBT movies and films inspired by other cultures.

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel tackled Hollywood's sexual misconduct scandal with jokes on a night heavy with nods to activism on issues ranging from LGBT issues and school shootings to sexism and racism.

Gay romance Call Me By Your Name won best adapted screenplay and racial satire Get Out won best original screenplay.

A Fantastic Woman, Chile's groundbreaking story about a transgender woman, played by transgender actress Daniela Vega, won best foreign language film, and Mexican-inspired Coco was named best animated feature.

Sam Rockwell, and Allison Janney took home their first Oscars for their supporting roles Three Billboards and independent ice-skating movie I, Tonya, respectively.

The 2018 Oscar Winners:

Best Picture: The Shape Of Water

Director: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape Of Water

Actor: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Actress: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, I, Tonya

Original Screenplay: Get Out

Adapted Screenplay: Call Me By Your Name

Foreign Language Film: A Fantastic Woman

Animated Feature: Coco

Visual Effects: Blade Runner 2049

Film Editing: Dunkirk

Animated Short: Dear Basketball

Live Action Short: The Silent Child

Documentary Short: Heaven Is A Traffic Jam On The 405

Score: The Shape Of Water

Song: Remember Me from Coco

Production Design: The Shape Of Water

Cinematography: Blade Runner 2049

Costume Design: Phantom Thread

Makeup and Hairstyling: Darkest Hour

Documentary Feature: Icarus

Sound Editing: Dunkirk

Sound Mixing: Dunkirk