Synopsis

Unemployed Greek Australian Steve Karamitsis is branded the country's biggest "dole bludger" after a run-in with the Employment Minister reaches national television. When the government turns his unwanted notoriety into an unemployment campaign, Steve becomes a public symbol while trying to clear his name, pursue romance, protect his friends, and prove that there is more to him than his easygoing image suggests.

Factoids & Trivia

• Nick Giannopoulos co-wrote and co-produced the film, drawing on the Greek Australian comedy tradition he had developed through stage and television work.

• The film was produced with support from the Australian Film Finance Corporation and Film Victoria, and was distributed theatrically in Australia by 20th Century Fox.

• The Wog Boy became a major Australian box-office success. It earned more than A$11.4 million domestically and received the IF Award for Best Domestic Box Office.

• Its preview screenings set an Australian record at the time, earning about A$1.2 million over three days before the official release.

• The production received an Australian Screen Sound Guild award for Best Achievement in Sound for Feature Mixing.

• The soundtrack was nominated for Best Original Soundtrack Album at the 2000 ARIA Music Awards.

• Steve's dark blue 1969 Chrysler VF Valiant Pacer became one of the film's most recognizable visual features and reflects the car culture central to the character's identity.

• The film launched a franchise that continued with Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos in 2010 and Wog Boys Forever in 2022.