The-Impossible-UK-Quad-PosterThe Impossible premiered at TIFF this September to almost universal acclaim – you can read our five-star review here – and has been even more tipped to go to the Oscars ever since.

Juan Antonio Bayona makes a fine English language debut here, with utterly stellar leading performances from Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts.

We saw a powerful UK trailer released last month, and more recently a new featurette earlier this month, and with its release on the horizon, MSN have debuted a new clip to give you an idea of just how powerful a film this is.

“Maria (Naomi Watts), Henry (Ewan McGregor) and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her. Based on a true story, THE IMPOSSIBLE is the unforgettable account of a family caught, with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. But the true-life terror is tempered by the unexpected displays of compassion, courage and simple kindness that Maria and her family encounter during the darkest hours of their lives. Both epic and intimate, devastating and uplifting, THE IMPOSSIBLE is a journey to the core of the human heart.”

Starring alongside McGregor and Watts are Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, and Oaklee Pendergast, each giving memorable performances rare from child actors.

Acclaimed Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphange) makes a fine English language debut behind the camera, reteaming with Sergio G. Sánchez (The Orphanage), who penned the script.

The Impossible will be given an Oscar-qualifying release in LA and NY in the US tomorrow, 21st December. It will then come to the UK for a New Year’s Day release, and I can’t recommend enough that you go and see it when it arrives near you. One of the most affecting films of the year.