The casting directors searched hundreds of orphanages and foster homes in Buenos Aires to find the protagonist for El Polaquito. Out of 500 candidates, Abel Araya was selected to play Polaco.
Abel Araya lived on the streets of Buenos Aires from ages 6 to ages 9. He was living in a home for orphaned boys when he was cast in El Polaquito.
The story of the street kid known as "El Polaco" was told to one of the film's producers, who worked with homeless teens in Buenos Aires at the time.