The 2003 holiday comedy starring Will Ferrell as a human raised by elves is Elf. Ferrell plays Buddy, an orphan who accidentally crawls into Santa Claus's sack as a baby and is raised at the North Pole by Papa Elf.
As an adult, Buddy learns that he is human and travels to New York City to find his biological father, Walter Hobbs. His cheerful North Pole habits clash humorously with modern city life, while the story follows his attempt to connect with his family and spread Christmas spirit.
Directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum, Elf also stars James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, and Bob Newhart. It became a major Christmas favorite despite receiving mixed-to-positive reviews at release. The common mix-up is treating Buddy as a real elf; the film's central joke is that he is human but was raised among elves.