Napoleon Dynamite

Kinnokutse (The Cinema Invite) is a special screening series in which well-known young cultural figures introduce their favourite films. Each screening is followed by a conversation with the guest about their life, ideas and creative work more broadly. The third guest and film selector of the season is actor Tõru Kannimäe.

Tõru Kannimäe is a 17-year-old actor currently studying in at Vanalinna Hariduskolleegium, a school in Tallinn. He has been acting regularly for over a decade and has appeared in numerous short films as well as feature films, including Fränk (2025) and Morten (2026). He was drawn to acting largely by his love of performing and the adrenaline rush that comes with being on stage or in front of a camera. It has also proved to be a great way to satisfy his need for attention. Tõru finds inspiration in everyday life — the people around him, art and the little things that make up the daily routine. He is a devoted fan of film and Sõprus cinema!

For his favourite film, Tõru has chosen Jared Hess’s Napoleon Dynamite (2004).

Here is how Tõru explains his choice:

“ My dad recommended Napoleon Dynamite to me a few years ago, and I was blown away! It has exactly the kind of humour I love, along with likeable characters, and the film itself is simply brilliant. It’s also a great example of how you can make a good film with limited resources. The story is simple, but it hits just the right note!”

Discounted tickets for students and university students are available for €5.

About the film

Napoleon Dynamite is the feature-film debut of Jared Hess, a director known for his distinctly offbeat and eccentric style. The film has never before been screened in Estonian cinemas.

Made on a budget of just $400,000, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 and has since become a cult classic.

In the small town of Preston, Idaho, socially awkward teenager Napoleon Dynamite struggles to fit in. When his grandmother is injured in an accident and his eccentric Uncle Rico arrives to look after him, things at home take an even more dismal turn.

With few places to turn, Napoleon strikes up friendships with two fellow outsiders at school: Pedro, a Mexican student who speaks little English, and Deb, a shy girl. Together, the unlikely trio decide to campaign for Pedro to become class president, setting out to make their fellow students’ wildest dreams come true.

But if Pedro is to beat his smug and popular rival, Summer, Napoleon will have to unleash his secret weapon…