Gosh! The chaotic 22-day shoot that birthed a quotable cult monster.
Acting
Jon Heder staying in character between takes.
Production
Preston, Idaho locals becoming accidental stars.
Direction
Jared Hess's family-and-friends filmmaking circus.
Director
Jared Hess
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The entire film was shot for $400,000, with Jon Heder paid only $1,000—he later renegotiated after it became a phenomenon.
Preston, Idaho still hosts an annual Napoleon Dynamite festival, proving this accidental indie permanently colonized a real town's identity.
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