The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Film Synopsis

T.S. Spivet is a boy who leads an idyllic life on a remote Montana ranch with his beetle-obsessed mother, wannabe cowboy father and older sister Gracie who, despite her tender age of 14, already has plans to be a beauty queen.  T.S.'s own ambitions are far more creative in nature.  He sees himself as a great inventor, the next Thomas Edison, and he has already made some great strides in this direction.  The prodigy's obsession for inventing things helps to take his mind off the tragic death of his twin brother Layton, who managed to kill himself whilst the two boys were playing with their father's firearms.

T.S. is over the moon when he learns that his latest creation - a perpetual motion machine - has won him the highly coveted Baird prize.  Fearing that his parents might stop him from collecting his award, the boy sneaks away unnoticed and heads for Washington DC by freight train.  It proves to be quite an eventful journey, but T.S.'s flair for thinking his way out of a crisis carries him through and he finally reaches his destination.  The prize's organisers are taken by surprise when a ten-year old boy turns up to collect his award.  How could a mere child succeed where so many have failed?  Bristling with excitement, T.S. steels himself to deliver his acceptance speech.  It is now that he feels he can talk about the terrible tragedy that has haunted his life...