El orfanato (2007)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

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:

Orphanage | Children | Hiv Positive | Hiv | Adopted Son

Awards:

31 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
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
Sandra Hermida	....	line producer
Elena Manrique	....	line producer
Joaquín Padró	....	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
Pau Albin	....	set dresser
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
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
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
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
Albert Carreras	....	camera operator
Francesc Carreras	....	first assistant camera
Beatriz Delgado	....	assistant camera
Juan Carlos Gorriz	....	first assistant camera
Gonzalez Leonardo Javier	....	key grip
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	....	digital intermediate colorist
Guillermo De La Cal	....	first assistant editor
Jorge Ortiz Yus	....	colorist: dailies
Laura Sanchez	....	digital intermediate editor
Marga Villalonga	....	digital intermediate coordinator
Javier Ugarte	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

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
George Nicholis	....	film publicist
Jaime Ortiz de Artiñano	....	business affairs
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
• 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)
• Kino Swiat (2008) (Poland) (all media)
• Luxor Entertainment (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (DVD)
• Quality Films (2007) (Mexico) (all media)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

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 (UK) (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:

USA:R | Canada:18A | Spain:13 | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Germany:12 | South Korea:15 | Ireland:15A | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | 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, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Esta Vivo! Laboratorio de Nuevos Talentos

Trivia:

One of the orphaned children Laura identifies in the photo she is shown she calls "Guillermo", an obvious nod to the Producer of the film. You also see his name during the scene where the window behind Laura smashes and she reveals the names of the old orphans and the dolls.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the film, we see the lighthouse shining directly on the orphanage. In reality, coastal lighthouses are shielded so their light does not shine on land.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Spanish Movie (2009)

Intelligent, scary, thrilling. moving

Attended the first commercial screening of The Orphanage (El Orfanato) last night at FrightFest, London.

Juan Antonio Bayona and writer Sergio G. Sanchez have delivered something really special for their first feature.

I have never jumped out of my seat like I did last night, nor my partner, nor most of the audience it seemed. Apart from the terrific scares, there are solid performances from the whole cast, stunning cinematography, and the editing is flawless. If I had to criticise one element, it is that the music swells just a little too much a couple of times, but it is a good score nonetheless.

See this one at the cinema.