Boy (2010) Online

: Lead actor James Rolleston was cast just two days before filming began after showing up as an extra for a costume fitting.

: A devout Michael Jackson fan, Boy spends his time creating fantastical stories about his absent father, Alamein, imagining him as a war hero and deep-sea treasure hunter.

: Features prominent New Zealand artists like The Phoenix Foundation and includes cultural staples like "Poi E" by the Patea Māori Club. Key Themes and Motifs The Unrelenting Optimism of Taika Waititi's 'Boy' (2010) Boy (2010)

Set in on the rural east coast of New Zealand, the story follows an 11-year-old boy simply known as "Boy" (James Rolleston).

: Boy lives on a farm with his younger brother Rocky, several cousins, and their grandmother. : Lead actor James Rolleston was cast just

: As Alamein's failures become apparent, Boy must reconcile his idealized hero with the flawed man before him, eventually finding his own "potential" and maturing beyond his father. Production Details

: When his father unexpectedly returns after years in prison, Boy is thrilled, only to realize that Alamein is actually an incompetent "hoodlum" who has returned solely to find a bag of money he buried years ago. Key Themes and Motifs The Unrelenting Optimism of

: Shot on location in Waihau Bay , Waititi used his own childhood home and grandmother’s house as sets to maintain authenticity.