»The original idea for Kauwboy grew out of one of my childhood memories. One spring when I was young, a crow came to my window and stayed for three months. I later read somewhere that these birds can become very attached to humans if they are separated from their parents at an early age. Because I also like to see the father-son relationship I put this together with a smart bird, which later turned out to be a jackdaw. Together with Jolein Laarman I wrote the story of Kauwboy. I hope you have as much fun watching the film Kauwboy as I did making it. Enjoy!«
– Boudewijn Koole

One day, Jojo finds a jackdaw chick (Dutch: »kauw«) that has fallen out of its nest. When his attempt to replace it fails, the ten year old boy takes it back home with him. Although he knows that his father will never approve, he takes care of the injured bird. He shows it his world and treats it like a friend who he can talk to. For his father hardly listens to him while his mother, who is touring the United States as a singer, is only rarely available for a chat on the phone.
Just as important as the jackdaw is Yenthe, a girl from his sports club. After all, Yenthe is always there for him. However, when one day she tells him the truth about his mother, Jojo’s world collapses. He was able to supress the fact that his mother has died while the idea she was still alive had given him courage. Ironically enough, the tragic death of his jackdaw finally forces Jojo to face his grief and get closer to his father again.

Awards for ›Kauwboy‹ (Selection):
ECFA-Award, Bester europäischer Kinder- und Jugendfilm 2013 | Gläserner Bär, Bester Erstlingsfilm, Sektion Generation / Kplus, Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin 2012 | Preis des Deutschen Kinderhilfswerks 2012
Niederländische Nominierung zum Academy Award (Oscar) als bester nicht-englischsprachiger Film 2012 | European Young Audience Award 2012