The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2010 , a Director 's Fortnight selection . That summer and fall it was screened on the festival circuit at the Melbourne International Film Festival , Sitges Film Festival , and the Stockholm International Film Festival . Its first theatrical release began on 27 January 2011 in Argentina . This was followed by a 4 March release in Uruguay , where it was produced . It received mixed reviews after its 8 April 2011 release in the UK , with critics generally praising the director 's technical achievements , but finding the overall story line unimpressive . Peter Bradshaw of '' The Guardian '' praised the film , writing : " This is a smart , scary film and a technical tour de force with its own skin-crawling atmosphere of fear . " The film was selected as the Uruguayan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards , but it did not make the final shortlist
84th Academy Awards
84th Academy Awards
The Silent House (2010 film)