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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Sweet! Town profits from film

Associated Press

Nick Malis, right, performs the moon boot dance with last year's champion, Brian Demke, at the annual Napoleon Dynamite festival's look-alike contest in Preston, Idaho.

JOE JASZEWSKI | Idaho Statesman

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PRESTON, Idaho — "Napoleon Dynamite," a low-budget, feel-good comedy starring Jon Heder, put this farm town near the Utah border on the map.

It has also generated $1 million for Preston, according to the chamber of commerce.

The movie, which cost $400,000 to make in 2004, has grossed $40 million in the United States and spawned a cottage industry of "Napoleon Dynamite" memorabilia.

The second "Napoleon Dynamite" festival, which wrapped up last weekend, featured a Napoleon look-alike contest, a moon boot dance and a Happy Hands club performance at Preston High School — mimicking scenes from the movie.

About 400 people attended this year, down from 6,000 last year, the Idaho Statesman reported.

"People started coming through here wanting stuff, and we didn't have anything," said Pennie Christensen, executive director of the Preston Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber has marketed a "Vote for Pedro" T-shirt that replicates a shirt worn by Heder's character to promote a long-shot bid for the school presidency by Napoleon's friend Pedro.

The chamber's merchandise line has since expanded to include hats and homemade key chains copying the crafts that also figure into the movie's plot. Items are available on the chamber's Web site, www.preston idaho.org.

Sales in 2005 allowed the chamber to donate $13,000 to the Preston School District Education Foundation, plunk $25,000 into its annual Festival of Lights event Thanksgiving weekend, and pay for this year's festival.