Which 2004 indie film set in Idaho centers on the awkward life of Preston High School students?

The 2004 indie film set in Idaho and centered on the awkward life of Preston High School students is Napoleon Dynamite. Jared Hess directed the coming-of-age comedy, which stars Jon Heder as the socially awkward title character living in Preston, Idaho.

Napoleon’s school life includes eccentric classmates, tetherball games, an unlikely friendship with transfer student Pedro, and his growing connection with Deb. The film’s deliberately unusual humor and low-key portrayal of small-town teenage life became its defining style. Many situations were loosely inspired by Hess’s own upbringing in Preston.

The movie grew from Hess’s earlier short film Peluca, released in 2002. Napoleon Dynamite was filmed at Preston High School and elsewhere in Franklin County, Idaho, during the summer of 2003. After premiering at Sundance in January 2004, it became a surprise commercial success and developed a lasting cult following.