# The Impossible

> 2012 film directed by Juan Antonio Bayona

**Wikidata**: [Q277038](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q277038)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impossible_(2012_film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-impossible

## Summary
The Impossible is a 2012 disaster drama film directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, starring Ewan McGregor and based on the true story of a family's survival during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. A co-production involving Spain, the film blends disaster, drama, and thriller genres, earning critical acclaim and a Goya Award for Best Director. It dramatizes the catastrophic event through a personal lens, emphasizing human resilience.

## Key Facts
- **Release Dates**: September 9, 2012 (Toronto International Film Festival), October 11, 2012 (Spain), October 19, 2012 (UK), October 26, 2012 (US), November 21, 2012 (Netherlands), November 29, 2012 (Iceland).
- **Director**: Juan Antonio Bayona.
- **Starring**: Ewan McGregor.
- **Genres**: Disaster film, drama film, thriller film.
- **Country**: Spain (involved in production).
- **Awards**: Goya Award for Best Director (2013).
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 5.3, Longitude 95.9 (contextual reference to the Indian Ocean tsunami).
- **Aliases**: *Lo imposible*, *Impossible*.
- **Website**: http://www.theimpossible-movie.com/.
- **Based On**: The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
- **Sitelink Count**: 45 (Wikidata).

## FAQs
- **Who directed The Impossible?** Juan Antonio Bayona directed the film, for which he won a Goya Award for Best Director in 2013.  
- **What genres does The Impossible belong to?** It is classified as a disaster film, drama film, and thriller film.  
- **Is The Impossible based on real events?** Yes, it dramatizes the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, focusing on a family’s survival.  
- **Where was The Impossible released?** The film premiered in multiple countries, including Spain, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, and Iceland, between September and November 2012.  
- **Who stars in The Impossible?** Scottish actor Ewan McGregor plays a lead role.  

## Why It Matters
The Impossible stands out for its visceral portrayal of one of the deadliest natural disasters in history, emphasizing human vulnerability and resilience. It achieved critical and commercial success, grossing over $180 million worldwide, and solidified Bayona’s reputation as a director of emotionally charged, visually intense films. By centering on a single family’s experience, the film personalizes a monumental tragedy, making it relatable and impactful. Its blend of disaster spectacle with intimate drama raised the bar for films in the genre, demonstrating how personal narratives can illuminate large-scale catastrophes.

## Notable For
- Won the Goya Award for Best Director (2013).  
- Successfully merged disaster film conventions with character-driven drama.  
- Highlighted international collaboration, with Spain playing a key production role.  
- Received widespread critical acclaim for its realistic portrayal of the 2004 tsunami.  
- Featured Ewan McGregor in a lead role, contributing to its global visibility.  

## Body

### Production Background
Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, *The Impossible* is a 2012 film produced with Spanish involvement. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2012, followed by releases in Spain (October 11), the UK (October 19), the US (October 26), the Netherlands (November 21), and Iceland (November 29). The film stars Ewan McGregor and is classified under disaster, drama, and thriller genres.

### Genre and Themes
As a disaster film, it depicts the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami’s devastation, while its drama and thriller elements focus on a family’s fight for survival. The story balances large-scale catastrophe with intimate character moments, exploring themes of resilience, grief, and familial bonds.

### True Story Basis
The film is inspired by the real-life account of María Belón and her family, who survived the tsunami while vacationing in Thailand. The coordinates provided (latitude 5.3, longitude 95.9) approximate the Indian Ocean region affected by the disaster, grounding the narrative in historical and geographical context.

### Accolades
Bayona received the Goya Award for Best Director in 2013, recognizing his work on the film. This award, specific to Spain’s film industry, underscores the movie’s artistic and technical achievements.

### Filming and Location
While the story is set in Thailand, filming occurred in various locations, including Spain and the UK. The coordinates (5.3, 95.9) likely reference the tsunami’s epicenter off the coast of Indonesia, rather than specific filming sites.

### Cultural Impact
*The Impossible* grossed over $180 million worldwide, resonating with audiences through its emotional authenticity and visual intensity. It sparked discussions about disaster preparedness and the human cost of natural catastrophes, while also highlighting Spain’s contributions to international cinema.

### Connected Entities
- **Spain**: Involved in the film’s production and recognized through the Goya Award.  
- **Ewan McGregor**: The Scottish actor’s participation bolstered the film’s international appeal.  
- **Disaster/Drama/Thriller Genres**: The film’s blend of these categories appealed to diverse audiences, satisfying both disaster spectacle and character-driven drama expectations.  

### Legacy
The film’s success reinforced Bayona’s career trajectory and influenced subsequent disaster films to prioritize emotional depth alongside visual effects. Its portrayal of the 2004 tsunami remains a benchmark for disaster cinema, remembered for its harrowing realism and poignant storytelling.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film329915.html)
2. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=146630.html)
3. [Source](http://www.film-o-holic.com/arvostelut/selviytyminen)
4. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/niemozliwe-2012)
5. [Source](http://www.fotogramas.es/Peliculas/Lo-imposible#critFG)
6. IMDb
7. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/fullcredits)
8. [Source](http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-impossible)
9. [Source](http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/impossible-2013-0)
10. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
11. The Movie Database
12. The Impossible. Rotten Tomatoes
13. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/releaseinfo)
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. [Source](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/198182/terjesztett_filmalkotasok_art_filmek_nyilvantartasa.xlsx)
16. [Source](http://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/2013.395.0.html)
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18. BBC Things
19. [Source](https://www.spio-fsk.de/asp/filestream.asp?dir=karte&file=1301%5C136809K%2Epdf)
20. [Source](http://www.darkhorizons.com/films/1501/The-Impossible)
21. Box Office Mojo
22. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/the-impossible/)
23. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
24. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2013&s_month=3&e_year=2013&e_month=3&pageID=2)
25. Online-Filmdatenbank
26. [Source](http://cnc.abt.ro/registru/index.aspx?pageID=3&filmID=14100)
27. [Source](http://www.rtc.gob.mx/NuevoSitio/cine_clasif_35mm.php?cd=139)
28. Bechdel Test Movie List
29. mymovies.it
30. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/E35E-C9B5-DC00-7FC8-819F-Y)
31. Danish Film Database
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35. FilmVandaag.nl