BBC Copyright: BBC Guillermo del Toro Image caption: Guillermo del Toro

Fresh off the stage - Guillermo del Toro answered some questions from the press.

On winning best director for The Shape of Water, he said:

Quote Message: "As a director it means a lot to be receiving an award from your peers, the true beauty of the craft is being understood by your peers." "As a director it means a lot to be receiving an award from your peers, the true beauty of the craft is being understood by your peers."

He said the message behind The Shape of Water, which sees lead Sally Hawkins fall in love with an amphibian creature, is about "embracing the other".

"The central message is to embrace the other, we are fed to be scared of someone's country of origin, their skin.

"There is no them, there is only us and let's try love rather than induced fear."

The Mexican film maker also paid tribute to his native Latin America and said he was "proud" of where he came from.

"Your roots make you who you are, embrace them with great pride."

Del Toro was notably not wearing a Times Up badge, but qualified it was down to "jetlag and lateness".

"I try and write powerful parts for actresses that are not the usual way," he said of his contribution in directing women in his films.