The Orphanage (2007) El orfanato (original title)

Director:

Juan Antonio Bayona

Writer:

Sergio G. Sánchez (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | 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:

Orphanage | Children | Boy | Adopted Son | Orphan

Awards:

33 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Belén Rueda	...	Laura
Fernando Cayo	...	Carlos
Roger Príncep	...	Simón
Mabel Rivera	...	Pilar
Montserrat Carulla	...	Benigna
Andrés Gertrúdix	...	Enrique
Edgar Vivar	...	Prof. Leo Bálaban
Óscar Casas	...	Tomás
Mireia Renau	...	Laura niña
Georgina Avellaneda	...	Rita
Carla Gordillo	...	Martín
Alejandro Camps	...	Víctor
Carmen López	...	Alicia
Óscar Lara	...	Guillermo
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Aurora
Enric Arquimbau	...	Jefe Grupo Terapia
Blanca Martínez	...	Mujer Grupo Terapia
Carol Suárez	...	Benigna joven
Isabel Friera	...	Antonia cuidadora
Fernando Marrot	...	Doctor (as Fernando Marriot)
Jordi Cardus	...	Niño ciego (as Jordi Cardús)
Pedro Morales	...	Padre 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
Guillermo del Toro	....	executive producer
Elena Manrique	....	line producer
Joaquín Padró	....	producer
Mar Targarona	....	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
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
Pau Albin	....	set dresser
Sol Caramilloni	....	set decoration
Paula de la Fuente	....	set designer
Blanca Francolí	....	set designer
Carlos Grané	....	props (uncredited)
Guy Pérez	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jordi Bosch	....	sound effects editor
Juan Carlos Cid	....	sound consultant: DTS
Manel López	....	boom operator (dailies)
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
Jaume Puig	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Filippo Restelli	....	boom operator
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: DDT SFX
Javier Jal	....	special effects technician
Enric Masip	....	special effects technician
Jordi Morera	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX
Joan Mosull	....	special effects technician
Pablo Perona Navarro	....	special effects makeup (as Pablo Perona)
Josep Olivé	....	special effects technician
Juan Serrano	....	special effects makeup

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
Sergio G. Sánchez	....	stunt double
Desirée Guirao	....	stunt double
Antonio Higueruelo	....	stunt coordinator
Juan Antonio López	....	stunts
Marta Vilajoana	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Eduardo Bonilla	....	gaffer
Albert Carreras	....	camera operator
Francesc Carreras	....	first assistant camera
Beatriz Delgado	....	assistant camera
Llúcia Faraig	....	still photographer
Javier González Leonardo	....	key grip
Juan Carlos Gorriz	....	first assistant camera
Javier Guerrero	....	electrician
José Manuel Herrero	....	underwater camera operator
Gris Jordana	....	second unit: camera assistant
José Ángel Manrique	....	key grip
Roger Martínez	....	additional first assistant camera
Pablo Montesinos	....	video assist
Ferran Rial	....	still photographer
Bet Rourich	....	cinematographer: second unit
Ramón Sánchez	....	steadicam
Debora Witte	....	electrician

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	....	digital intermediate colorist
Guillermo de la Cal	....	first assistant editor
Jorge Ortiz Yus	....	colorist: dailies
Marta Ramírez	....	post-production coordinator
Laura Sanchez	....	digital intermediate editor
Marga Villalonga	....	digital intermediate coordinator
Javier Ugarte	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

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

Other crew
Glòria Blanes	....	script supervisor
Núria Costa	....	press
Raúl Díaz	....	production assistant
Sergio G. Sánchez	....	making-of
Goyo Gámez	....	first production assistant
Laura Jou	....	child acting coach
Rubén Lardín	....	script supervisor
Kike Maíllo	....	script supervisor
George Nicholis	....	film publicist
Jaime Ortiz de Artiñano	....	business affairs
Trini Solano	....	press
Francesc Talavera	....	making-of
Sonia Uría	....	press

Thanks
Dolors Arena	....	thanks
Inés Barber	....	thanks
Ángeles Blanco	....	thanks
Desirée de Fez	....	thanks (as La Desi)
Christian Moyès	....	thanks
Maribel Robles	....	thanks
Luis Segura	....	thanks (as Lluis Segura)
Juanjo Sáez	....	thanks
Pere Torrebadella	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Esta Vivo! Laboratorio de Nuevos Talentos
• Grupo Rodar
• Rodar y Rodar Cine y Televisión
• 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)
• Cinequanon (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Rosebud (2007) (Greece) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2008) (Slovakia) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• California Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Christal Films (2007) (Canada) (all media)
• Christal Films (2008) (Canada) (DVD)
• Kino Swiat (2008) (Poland) (all media)
• Luxor Entertainment (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• New Line Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (DVD)
• Quality Films (II) (2007) (Mexico) (all media)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Efe-X

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:

"El orfanato" - Spain (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some disturbing content

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:18A | Spain:13 | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Germany:12 | South Korea:15 | Ireland:15A | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Brazil:14 | Denmark:11 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:R-12 | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:16 | Chile:Y7 | Malaysia:18PL | UK:15 | Portugal:M/12 | New Zealand:R13 | Australia:MA | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Czech Republic:12 | France:-12

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Company:

Esta Vivo! Laboratorio de Nuevos Talentos

Trivia:

'Sergio G. Sanchez' originally wanted to direct his own screenplay but soon found that no Spanish production company would let an untried director helm such a major project.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the séance, as Aurora regresses into a trance, her arms slip off the arms of the chair on which she is sitting. The next shot of her, looking from the other direction, shows her arms still resting on the chair again.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Viande d'origine française (2009) (TV)

Beautifully Sad Catholic Fairy Tale

Laura (Belen Rueda) returns to the orphanage she spent time in as a child with her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and little boy Simon (Roger Princep) in hopes of re-establishing it as seaside retreat for children with disabilities only to find there may be some former residents who never left. In Juan Antonio Bayona's tightly wound "The Orphanage" nothing is as it seems and child's play takes on sinister overtones.

Bayona belongs to this new wave of Spanish-language directors (most notably Del Torro and Amenabar) who excel when it comes to creating moody atmospheric tales of the supernatural with Catholic overtones. Whereas "Pan's Labyrinth" took a dark fantasy approach to a Passion Play, "The Orphanage" is closer to the classic haunted house themes of "The Others" as it attempts to give a sentimental view of life after death. Be warned, "The Orphanage" is often more sad than scary, and those not familiar with Catholic mysticism might find things a bit hard to believe. As goes the film's mantra...Believe, Then You Will See. Those with the patience and the heart will be greatly rewarded as the audience doesn't necessarily have to Believe to relate to the characters who do.

Working from refined "less is more" psychological horror templates, Bayona delivers the formulaic goods. There will be a simplistic but heartfelt exploration of grief. There will be allusions to classic literature (in this case a very nicely done "Peter Pan" as Catholic allegory motif). There will be uncovering dark secrets from the past. There will be precocious children with spooky imaginary friends. There will be creaking set designs and manipulative sound effects to create "gotcha!" moments. There will be a creepy medium (an excellent Geraldine Chaplin) brought in for a séance. And there will be a twist at the end.

Thankfully, there is also a great performance from Belen Rueda as Laura. She gives a compelling portrayal of a woman devoured by her loss and achingly desperate for the truth no matter how horrific that truth might be. One must have a cold heart not to find sympathy with her, and even the most hardened audience member will find it hard not to feel that stray tear form in the corner of their trembling eye when all is revealed. "The Orphanage" offers nothing terribly new, but sometimes the same old ghost story presented in a beautiful way makes for the best type of cold-rainy-day entertainment.