Orfanato, El (2007)

Director:

Juan Antonio Bayona

Writer:

Sergio G. Sánchez (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Un cuento de amor. Una historia de terror (A tale of love. A story of horror)

Plot:

A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Old Dark House | Dead Child | Hallucination | Psychological Thriller

Awards:

30 wins & 24 nominations

Cast

Belén Rueda	...	Laura
Fernando Cayo	...	Carlos
Roger Príncep	...	Simón
Mabel Rivera	...	Pilar
Montserrat Carulla	...	Benigna
Andrés Gertrúdix	...	Enrique
Edgar Vivar	...	Balaban
Óscar Casas	...	Tomás
Mireia Renau	...	Laura Girl
Georgina Avellaneda	...	Rita
Carla Gordillo Alicia	...	Martín
Alejandro Campos	...	Víctor
Carmen López	...	Alicia
Óscar Lara	...	Guillermo
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Aurora
Enric Arquimbau	...	Group Therapist
Blanca Martínez	...	Woman in Group Therapy
Carol Suárez	...	Young Benigna
Isabel Friera	...	Antonia Nurse
Fernando Marrot	...	Doctor
Jordi Cardus	...	Blind Kid
Pedro Morales	...	Father #2

Directed by
Juan Antonio Bayona		(as J.A. Bayona)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sergio G. Sánchez		screenplay

Produced by
Belén Atienza	....	line producer
Álvaro Augustín	....	producer
Sandra Hermida	....	line producer
Elena Manrique	....	line producer
Joaquín Padro	....	producer
Mar Targarona	....	producer
Guillermo del Toro	....	producer

Original Music by
Fernando Velázquez

Cinematography by
Óscar Faura

Film Editing by
Elena Ruiz

Casting by
Geli Albaladejo

Production Design by
Josep Rosell

Art Direction by
Iñigo Navarro

Set Decoration by
Iñigo Navarro

Costume Design by
Maria Reyes

Makeup Department
Itziar Arrieta	....	hair stylist
Lola López	....	makeup artist
David Martí	....	special makeup effects artist
Montse Ribé	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Sandra Hermida	....	production manager
Asen Kanchev	....	music production manager
Marta Sánchez	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mònica Farrés	....	third assistant director
Menna Fité	....	first assistant director
Rodrigo Lamoso	....	third assistant director
Itati Moyano	....	second assistant director
Manuel Pérez	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Sol Caramilloni	....	set dresser
Paula de la Fuente	....	set designer
Blanca Francoli	....	set designer

Sound Department
Jordi Bosch	....	sound effects editor
Juan Carlos Cid	....	sound consultant: DTS
Virgilio Martínez	....	mixing assistant
Xavier Mas	....	dialogue editor (as Xavi Mas)
Xavier Mas	....	sound recordist (as Xavi Mas)
Yvonne Miralles	....	recording operator
Marc Orts	....	sound mixer
Jaime Puig	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Jordi Ribas	....	sound edit assistant (as Jordi Riba)
Oriol Tarragó	....	sound designer
Oriol Tarragó	....	sound post-production supervisor
Edgar Vidal	....	sound effects designer
Kiku Vidal	....	sound effects technician

Special Effects by
Xavi Bastida	....	special effects makeup
Lluís Castells	....	special effects
Anthony S. Ciccarelli	....	special effects technician
Pau Costa	....	special effects technician
Ismael Ferrer	....	special effects makeup
Raquel Guirro	....	special effects makeup
Javier Jal	....	special effects technician
Enric Masip	....	special effects technician
Jordi Morera	....	special effects makeup
Joan Mosull	....	special effects technician
Pablo Perona Navarro	....	special effects makeup (as Pablo Perona)
Josep Olivé	....	special effects technician
Juan Serrano	....	special effects makeup
Juan Serrano	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Jesús Luque	....	visual effects
Quico Noizeux	....	digital compositor
Sandra Picher	....	visual effects coordinator
Lucas Pigliacampo	....	digital artist
Lucas Pigliacampo	....	digital compositor
Jordi San Agustín	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Marina de Mendialdúa	....	stunts
Laura Dursi	....	stunt double
Marian Elshove	....	stunts
Desirée Guirao	....	stunt double
Antonio Higueruelo	....	stunt coordinator
Juan Antonio López	....	stunts
Sergio G. Sánchez	....	stunt double
Marta Vilajoana	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Beatriz Delgado	....	assistant camera
Juan Carlos Gorriz	....	first assistant camera
Roger Martínez	....	additional first assistant camera
Pablo Montesinos	....	video assist
Ferran Rial	....	still photographer
Bet Rourich	....	cinematographer: second unit

Casting Department
Cristina Baeza	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adolfo Domínguez	....	wardrobe: Fernando Cayo
Desirée Guirao	....	costume assistant
Aurora Pedredo	....	tailor

Editorial Department
Quique Cañadas	....	colorist
Guillermo De La Cal	....	first assistant editor
Jorge Ortiz Yus	....	colorist: dailies
Laura Sanchez	....	digital intermediate editor
Laura Sanchez	....	film scanner

Music Department
Félix Divar	....	musician: percussion
Juan Antonio Ros	....	music producer (as Juanan Ros)

Other crew
Glòria Blanes	....	script supervisor
Núria Costa	....	press
Goyo Gamez	....	first production assistant
Laura Jou	....	child acting coach
Kike Maíllo	....	script supervisor
Sergio G. Sánchez	....	making-of
Trini Solano	....	press
Francesc Talavera	....	making-of
Sonia Uría	....	press

Thanks
Dolors Arena	....	thanks
Inés Barber	....	thanks
Ángeles Blanco	....	thanks
Christian Moyès	....	thanks
Maribel Robles	....	thanks
Juanjo Sáez	....	thanks
Pere Torrebadella	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Esta Vivo! Laboratorio de Nuevos Talentos
• Grupo Rodar
• Rodar y Rodar Cine y Televisión S.L.
• Telecinco Cinema
• Telecinco
• Televisió de Catalunya (TV3)
• Warner Bros. Pictures de España
• Wild Bunch

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (2007) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2007) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Picturehouse Entertainment (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• A-Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• CDI Films (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• California Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Christal Films (2007) (Canada) (all media)
• Kino Swiat (2008) (Poland) (all media)
• Luxor Entertainment (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Senator Film (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Mi Casa Multimedia  BD/DVD audio mastering 5.1, 7.1
• ASG Cine y Figuracion  extras casting
• Marcella C. Public Relations  DVD publicity
• SIF309 Film & Music Productions  film score recording

Also Known As:

The Orphanage (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for some disturbing content.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Mexico | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Germany:12 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIB | Sweden:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Taiwan:R-12 | Spain:13 | Malaysia:18PL | Canada:18A | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | USA:R | UK:15 | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-13 | Norway:15 | Denmark:11 | Chile:Y7 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Esta Vivo! Laboratorio de Nuevos Talentos

Trivia:

Spain's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Pilar describes the old cine film that Laura views as 8mm, but when we see the projector, the film is actually 16mm.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-01-05)" (2008)

absolutely incredible

I saw this at the Frightfest and its AMAZING, did the previous reviewer even see it? No real shocks!!, I've never seen a cinema jump like the audience at Frightfest for this film. I'm kind of tempted to name the shocks but I wont. Its such a stunningly made film, creepy, atmospheric, shocking, great story, beautifully directed, the main woman is incredible. I was never really sure if it was supernatural or psychological, but as it reveals...wow, its excellent. Its so well done I cant write more without giving stuff away, but go and see it. I was expecting a low rent " pan's Labyrinth " but I think it might be even better than PL, though very different. Best film i've seen in ages