Little Boy

Set in a small California coastal town during the Second World War, the film follows Pepper, an eight-year-old boy whose father is sent overseas to fight. With the town's men away and only women, children and older residents left behind, Pepper is left without the person closest to him. Mocked by classmates for his small stature, he holds to the belief that he can influence events, and he sets his mind on bringing the war to an end so that his father can return.

Alejandro Gómez Monteverde directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Pepe Portillo, and he also produced alongside Leo Severino. Jakob Salvati plays Pepper, with Emily Watson as his mother, Michael Rapaport as his father and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, David Henrie and Ben Chaplin among the credited cast of 83. It is the earliest of the four features Monteverde has directed, followed by Sound of Freedom, Cabrini and Zero A.D.

The film was released in April 2015 and runs 106 minutes, blending comedy, drama and war. Made for about 20 million dollars, it took roughly 7 million dollars worldwide. On TMDB it holds a 7.3 rating from 578 votes, while its critics' rating stands at 4.5 out of 10 from 54 reviews, a clear gap between professional and audience response.