Manchester by the Sea: Exclusive clip proves why Casey Affleck is an Oscar favourite

Affleck plays a man crushed by grief over the death of his brother in Kenneth Lonergan's latest

The settling dust of holiday cheer brings another season on the horizon: awards season.

And, though La La Land and Moonlight may be battling for the top prize, there's one name which has been dominating the talk for the Best Actor prize: Casey Affleck, for his role in Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea.

Even from this small clip - featuring a brief cameo from Lonergan himself - it's easy to see why, as Affleck manages to perfectly capture the brewing internal anguish of unprocessed grief; which, like lava from a volcano, can often spew out in the most furious of bursts.

Manchester by the Sea sees him play Lee Chandler; a quiet, morose Boston handyman who's suddenly called back to his hometown upon hearing of the death of his brother, with the will naming Lee as the guardian to his 16-year-old nephew (Lucas Hedges).

Lee is a man who has already suffered untold grief, but this burden only crushes his spirit further. Lonergan's film is a truthful, yet devastating portrait of the destruction which comes to play in a culture which forbids men from openly processing their emotions.

Both penned and directed by Lonergan, the film also stars Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, and Gretchen Mol.

Manchester by the Sea hits UK cinemas on 13 January 2017.