Here we have the long-awaited first trailer for Mr Pip. From the acclaimed novel by Kiwi Lloyd Jones, Kiwi writer/director Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away) has created an emotionally stirring adaptation that promises to tug on the ol’ heartstrings.

TV’s Dr Gregory House, Hugh Laurie, plays Mr Watts, an eccentric teacher on the island of Bougainville who introduces his class to his favourite book, “Great Expectations”. 14-year-old Matilda (Xzannjah) is so captivated by the story, she imagines herself transported into the Victoria world – an escape from the her war-torn home.

Funded in part by the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air and TV3, Mr Pip was filmed in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Renowned Kiwi actress Kerry Fox (An Angel at My Table) plays Laurie’s wife, Mrs Watts.

And in some brilliant news, we will be the first country to get the film on general release – 3 October.

The film received a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival. However, some early reviews described the film as “overblown” and a “glossy package coated in orchestral syrup”.

I can see both sides of this equation in the trailer. But there’s plenty to enjoy here. Scenes in the classroom bring a smile, while intense shots of troops and funerals will evoke tears from many cinema goers no doubt.

Laurie is on fine form and it’s great to see him play a very likeable character.

I haven’t read the novel, but this definitely looks like a film for those who enjoy powerful, uplifting, character-driven stories. I’m keen to see more.

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Living under the shadow of the Papa New Guinean civil war, an eccentric schoolteacher forms a unique bond with a young girl over their shared love for Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.

Mr Pip is the story of how Mr Watts, a teacher on the war-torn island of Bougainville, helps a young girl survive the violence of her daily life through the power of imagination. Mr Watts reads from his favourite book, “Great Expectations”, and 14-year-old Matilda is transported into the Victorian world, finding inspiration, friendship and hope when her real life is filled with harsh uncertainty and danger.

Directed by Andrew Adamson, the film stars Hugh Laurie, Kerry Fox, Eka Darville, Florence Korokoro, Xzannjah, and Healesville Joel.

Mr Pip opens on 3 October, 2013.