Guillermo del Toro insists "success isn’t easy".
The 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker is currently receiving lots of praise for his gothic romance ‘The Shape of Water’ – which scooped the most Academy Award and BAFTA nominations this year – but admitted he never thought his film would receive the critical acclaim it has.
Speaking at the winners press conference after nabbing the Director prize at the BAFTA awards on Sunday (18.02.18) at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, del Toro said: "You never know, there are movies that you think are going to go one way and go another.
"Failure and success live next door to each other and the doors have no number, you just knock and you don’t know who is going to open. Success isn’t easy.
"It’s a confluence of the zeitgeist and your story and the way it’s sold and marketing and where it finds its place. You never know."
The 2018 BAFTA marks his second after previously receiving one for his 2006 movie ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ and he admitted the accolade was particularly special because it was voted for by his contemporaries.
He said: "I feel heavier, it must be the canapés. It feels beautiful. I was here with ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ and now it has a twin.
"I think that as a director it means a lot to be receiving an award from your peers. Movies can be watched and analysed by everyone but the true beauty of your craft is understood by your peers."
Del Toro is leading the nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards next month and admitted the only way he can "survive" awards season is to get "really, really, nervous on the day".
He said: "The only way a man of my heft can survive this season is by getting really, really nervous on the day and then getting really, really nervous a minute before they open the envelope.
"If it wasn’t that way I would keel over. I try to mediate the hopes with a zen-like being in the moment."
Guillermo del Toro struggles with success
