The Mud Boy

Set in 1912 Buenos Aires against the backdrop of the story of the Petiso Orejudo serial killer, the plot tracks 10-year-old boy Mateo, haunted by nightmares, and the main suspect behind a trail of brutal killings in the city.{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/cultura/cine-00128/noticia-jorge-algora-rescata-historia-real-asesino-serie-principios-siglo-xx-nino-barro-20070516142223.html|website=Europa Press|date=16 May 2007|title=Jorge Algora rescata la historia real de un asesino en serie de principios del siglo XX en 'El niño de barro'}}

{{Cast listing|

• Maribel Verdú as Estela{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmax.com/produccion/el-nino-de-barro.185|access-date=31 March 2023|title=El niño de barro|publisher=Filmax}}
• Chete Lera as Dr. Soria
• Daniel Freire as Comisario Petrie
• Juan Ciancio as Mateo
• {{ill|César Bordón|es}} as Octavio
• {{ill|Abel Ayala|es}} as Cayetano
• Sergio Boris as Subinspector Palacios

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A Spanish-Argentine co-production, the film was produced by Adivina Producciones, Iroko Films, Castelao Producciones and Televisión de Galicia, Patagonik and Pol-ka, with backing from INCAA and ICAA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/cine/pesadillas-a-ojos-abiertos-nid940811/|website=La Nación|date=5 September 2007|title=Pesadillas a ojos abiertos}} The film was shot in Argentina.{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariodeleon.es/articulo/cultura/a-partir-ahora-solo-voy-hacer-cine-emocione-verdad/20070603020000905013.html|website=Diario de León|title=A partir de ahora sólo voy a hacer cine que me emocione de verdad|date=3 June 2007|first=Pacho|last=Rodríguez}}

The film was released theatrically in Spain on 18 May 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elmundo.es/metropoli/2007/05/18/cine/1179439208.html|website=Metrópoli|date=18 May 2007|via=El Mundo|first=Javier|last=Estrada|title=Llegué a un punto en que no aceptaba un papel si no me apasionaba}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotogramas.es/peliculas-criticas/a12424/el-nino-de-barro/|website=Fotogramas|title=El niño de barro}} Distributed by Buena Vista, the opening in Argentine theatres was scheduled for 6 September 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latamcinema.com/avalancha-de-estrenos-nacionales-en-la-cartelera-argentina/|website=Latamcinema|date=6 September 2007|title=Avalancha de estrenos nacionales en la cartelera argentina}}

Juan Pablo Cinelli of Página/12 assessed that Algora is right to opt for fiction rather than documentary accuracy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/suplementos/espectaculos/5-7550-2007-09-07.html|website=Página{{!}}12|first=Juan Pablo|last=Cinelli|date=7 September 2007|title=La naturaleza del monstruo}}

Jonathan Holland of Variety considered that "the excesses of the story are reined in by intelligent treatment, with thoughtful perfs, fine period atmospherics and a well-achieved sense of dread making up for occasionally clunky direction and loose scripting".{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/reviews/the-mud-boy-1200558006/|website=Variety|title=The Mud Boy|date=9 July 2007|first=Jonathan|last=Holland}}

Parana Sendrós of Ámbito Financiero deemed the film to be worth your time, considering that the balance is positive "due to the way [the film] is made, the intelligence with which it tells the story, and the light it sheds on the always current issue of the treatment of children".{{Cite web|url=https://www.ambito.com/espectaculos/inteligente-relato-un-mitico-asesino-serial-n3448911|website=Ámbito Financiero|first=Parana|last=Sendrós|date=6 September 2017|title=Inteligente relato sobre un mítico asesino serial}}

{{Awards table|5}}

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| rowspan = "17" align = "center" | 2008 || 22nd Goya Awards || Best Original Song || "Pequeño paria" by Daniel Melingo || {{nom}} || align = "center" | {{Cite web|url=https://www.diariodepontevedra.es/articulo/cultura/nocturna-de-filmax-gana-el-goya-la-mejor-pelicula-de-animacion/20080204023500150228.html|website=Diario de Pontevedra|date=4 February 2008|title='Nocturna', de Filmax, Goya a la mejor película de animación}}

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| rowspan = "16 | 7th Mestre Mateo Awards || colspan = "2" | Best Film || {{won}} || rowspan = "16" | {{Cite web|url=https://premiosmestremateo.gal/a-academia-galega-do-audiovisual-anunciou-esta-mana-a-listaxe-de-nomeados-aos-premios-mestre-mateo-2007/|website=Academia Galega do Audiovisual|access-date=31 March 2023|title=A Academia Galega do Audiovisual anunciou esta mañá a listaxe de nomeados aos Premios Mestre Mateo 2007}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.publico.es/actualidad/o-neno-barro-arrasa-premios.html|website=Público|date=16 April 2008|title="O neno de barro" arrasa en los premios del cine gallego con nueve Mestre Mateo}}

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| Best Director || Jorge Algora || {{won}}

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| Best Screenplay || Jorge Algora, Christian Busquier, Héctor Carré || {{won}}

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| Best Actress || Maribel Verdú || {{nom}}

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| rowspan = "3" | Best Actor || Chete Lera || {{won}}

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| Daniel Freire || {{nom}}

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| Juan Ciancio || {{nom}}

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| Best Supporting Actor || Abel Ayala || {{nom}}

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| Best Production Supervision || Eduard Vallés, Juan Lovece || {{nom}}

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| Best Cinematography || Suso Bello || {{won}}

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| Best Editing || Rita Romero || {{nom}}

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| Best Music || Nani García || {{won}}

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| Best Makeup and Hairstyles || Beata Wojtowicz || {{won}}

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| Best Costume Design || Cecilia Monti || {{won}}

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| Best Art Direction || Mariela Rípodas || {{won}}

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| Best Sound || Perfecto de San José Prieto, Alberto Suárez || {{nom}}

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• List of Spanish films of 2007
• List of Argentine films of 2007

{{reflist}}

Category:Spanish crime thriller films

Category:Spanish crime drama films

Category:Spanish psychological thriller films

Category:Argentine psychological thriller films

Category:Argentine crime thriller films

Category:Argentine crime drama films

Category:Films set in 1912

Category:Films set in Buenos Aires

Category:Films shot in Argentina

Category:2000s Spanish-language films

Category:2000s Argentine films

Category:2000s Spanish films

Category:Castelao Producciones films

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mud Boy, The}}