Synopsis

In the small Idaho town of Preston, awkward teenager Napoleon Dynamite struggles with school, family, and his uncertain social standing. He befriends Pedro, a new student campaigning for class president, while Napoleon's older brother Kip pursues an online romance and Uncle Rico obsesses over his lost football glory. As rivalries and eccentric friendships develop, Napoleon finds an unexpected way to support Pedro and express himself.

Factoids & Trivia

• The feature grew out of the short film Peluca, which introduced versions of the characters Napoleon and Pedro.

• The movie was shot on location in and around Preston, Idaho, during July and August 2003. Many local buildings and businesses appear in the finished film.

• With a reported production budget of roughly $400,000, the film became a major independent hit after its 2004 Sundance premiere. Fox Searchlight acquired it for approximately $4.75 million.

• The opening credit sequence and the scene shown after the closing credits were filmed after the movie had been purchased, rather than during the main production.

• Jon Heder drew nearly all of Napoleon's artwork himself. The unicorn drawing was the notable exception.

• The story about a farmer shooting a cow in front of a school bus was adapted from an incident recalled from the filmmaker's childhood.

• All 181 student extras were named in the closing credits, giving the film an unusually extensive credited cast list.

• Preston hosted an annual Napoleon Dynamite festival from 2004 through 2008. Events included tater-tot eating, football throwing, and look-alike contests.