The Orphanage
2007 · Movie · R · 105 min · ★ 7.2 · 81% critics
A family returns to a seaside orphanage that once shaped a woman's childhood, hoping to give the place new life. But when her young son starts talking to an unseen friend, the home fills with unsettling clues, growing dread, and a painful mystery from the past.
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Details
- Original title
- El orfanato
- Years
- 2007
- Release date
- 2007-05-20
- Language
- Spanish
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Critic score
- 81/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (3,124 votes)
About
If you like slow-burn ghost stories with a sad, unsettling edge, this fits alongside The Others and The Devil's Backbone; Not for you if you want nonstop shocks, fast pacing, or lots of gore.
Pros: eerie atmosphere; emotional story; strong lead performance | Cons: slow pacing; limited scares; some plot holes
Themes
- beach
- wife
- suppressed past
- orphanage
- cave
- medium
- haunted house
- imaginary friend
- gothic horror
- missing child
- séance
Awards & recognition
- European Film Award — Best Cinematographer · 2008 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Composer · 2008 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Actress · 2008 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Film · 2008 · nominated
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award — Best European Film · 2008 · nominated
Show all 6 awards →
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 2008 · nominated
Cast & crew
Belén Rueda
as Laura
Fernando Cayo
as Carlos
Roger Príncep
as Simón
Mabel Rivera
as Pilar
Montserrat Carulla
as Benigna
Andrés Gertrúdix
as Enrique
Edgar Vivar
as Balaban
Óscar Casas
as Tomás
Geraldine Chaplin
as Aurora
- CL
Carmen López
as Alicia
Directed by J. A. Bayona