The Orphanage (2007 film)

The Orphanage (Spanish: El orfanato) is a 2007 Gothic supernatural horror film directed by J. A. Bayona in his directorial full-length debut. The film stars Belén Rueda as Laura, Fernando Cayo as her husband, Carlos, and Roger Príncep as their adopted son Simón. The plot centers on Laura, who returns to her childhood home, an orphanage. Laura plans to turn the house into a home for disabled children, but after an argument with Simón, he goes missing. The film is an international co-production between Spain and Mexico.

The film's script was written by Sergio G. Sánchez in 1996 and brought to the attention of Bayona in 2004. Bayona asked his long-time friend, director Guillermo del Toro, to help produce the film and to double its budget and filming time. Bayona wanted the film to capture the feel of 1970s Spanish cinema; he cast Geraldine Chaplin and Belén Rueda, who were later praised for their roles in the film.

The film opened at the Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2007, where it received a standing ovation lasting more than 10 minutes. It received domestic critical acclaim in Spain, and won seven Goya awards, including Original Screenplay and New Director. On its North American release, The Orphanage was praised by English-speaking critics, who described the film as well directed and well acted, and noted the film's lack of "cheap scares". New Line Cinema subsequently bought the rights to the film for an American remake. It is widely regarded as a modern classic of the genre and of Spanish and Mexican cinema.