The cow being shot in front of the school bus-that actually happened. Jared Hess: After my mom saw Napoleon, she said, “Well, that was a bunch of embarrassing family material.” I mean, everything. Like, there really was like a sign language club in his high school that would perform that way. It’s all very real and personal to Jared’s life. Jerusha Demke Hess (writer, costume designer): The whole thing. The whole idea for both Peluca and Napoleon just came from an adolescent upbringing in Idaho. Jared Hess (writer, director): I’m from Preston, Idaho. Small photo courtesy Munn Powell, who can be seen in the background. Now, 15 years since Peluca won an ovation at Slamdance, the filmmakers retell the making of Napoleon Dynamite. Heder (BFA ’10) as Napoleon Dynamite on the Fox Searchlight Studios campus. And a bronze statue immortalizes Jonathan J. The Hesses received a commendation from the state of Idaho.

It remains a staple on best-comedies lists.

Regardless, one can’t deny the cultural impact of this all-so-original film and its tot-loving, heavy-lidded star-as seen in memes across the internet, on ubiquitous Vote for Pedro T-shirts, and in cast reincarnations every Halloween. (Jared calls it “nuanced.”) Netflix audiences routinely gave Napoleon either five stars or just one, and coders trying to improve Netflix recommendations couldn’t crack the “ Napoleon problem”-the ability to predict fans and haters. It remains one of the most profitable low-budget films of all time and a leader among Fox’s all-time bestselling home-video titles. And just as Napoleon, the film’s uber-geek antihero, triumphs, Napoleon Dynamite became an underdog success.Īfter premiering at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, the indie darling sold to Fox Searchlight Studios for $4.75 million and grossed more than $46 million in the first year it was released. With a production team made up almost entirely of BYU students and alumni, and with just $400,000 from one angel investor-the Y student who started 1-800-Contacts out of his BYU dorm room-Jared got to make his movie. But before Peluca was even finished, Jared had already set to work with his wife, Jerusha Demke Hess (BA ’10), writing a feature-length version, which he titled Napoleon Dynamite after a guy he met on his mission in Chicago.Īnd, to take a line from Hess’s movie, all of his wildest dreams came true. Peluca made its own waves, winning rave reviews at the 2003 Slamdance Film Festival, a spinoff from Sundance.

Pedro napoleon dynamite