Filmed in July and August of 2003 on an estimated budget of $400,000, "Napoleon Dynamite" was a huge hit at the Sundance Film Festival and Fox Searchlight picked the movie up as its distributor. The movie opened on six screens across the United States in June 2004 and made a little over $160,000. But by the time the movie stopped showing in theaters eight months later, it had grossed over $44.5 million and played on thousands of screens across the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Spain and Iceland.

Although its theater debut was more than a year ago, the movie is still achieving widespread popularity through DVD rentals and sales.

"My goals, one, was not to screw it up because there's a certain amount of 'Napoleon Dynamite' that goes around, especially in Utah and Idaho. People feel a kinship to it. And number two, make it as funny as possible and keep it consistent as possible," said Bryan Lefler, a Bountiful resident who directed the commercials and was the story board artist and script supervisor for the film. BOWG Ad Agency in Salt Lake City conceived the idea, wrote the campaign and produced the commercials.

Lefler, who is friends with movie directors Jared and Jerusha Hess, said after the Hesses gave their stamp of approval on filming the commercial, they asked Lefler to be the director because he knows the Napoleon character. The three television spots were filmed in one day.

Excited about the national attention the commercials are receiving, Lefler said using Napoleon Dynamite as the 150th fair theme was a great idea.

"I think it's the greatest move they ever could have done. Nothing says Utah and Idaho like Napoleon Dynamite," he said, adding the ads will "definitely" attract a younger crowd. "I think it's just going to be an influx (of youth). I think it will be a big, big crowd this year."

The entertainment guide, program and poster, featuring Napoleon Dynamite dancing and holding a rooster, are even being sold on eBay. But the fair material is a small part of a growing collection of Napoleon souvenirs. "Vote for Pedro" T-shirts can be found at Wal-Mart, funtalking.com sells a Napoleon talking doll and everything from themed stickers, pens and note pads to lip gloss, wristbands and shoelaces can be found at trendy store Hot Topic.

The movie was nominated for 21 awards and won six, three at the MTV movie awards, where the film walked about with best musical performance, breakthrough male and best movie.

Lefler said he's not surprised it became so popular — there are currently over 150,000 fan club members. Actually, he said he thought it would make more money.