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.
Bayona ingin film tersebut menangkap suasana sinema Spanyol 1970an; ia menempatkan Geraldine Chaplin dan Belén Rueda, yang kemudian disanjung karena peran-peran mereka dalam film tersebut.