Outside, father and son do their own dance together, but it is soon revealed that the boy is dancing alone and his father is still stiff and unresponsive. The boy looks longingly through the window at other parents and children who likewise wear matching outfits that identify them as pairs: a mother and daughter dressed similarly to Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz do a dance while walking their identical dogs a garbageman and his son collect rubbish together while doing another dance while still another father (played by Ceasare "Tight Eyez" Willis, one of the creators of Krumping) does an aggressive, threatening dance at his reluctant son before the boy finally begins to imitate him.įrustrated, the son does various dances in front of his own father until one of his efforts provokes the father to smile. The video has the ambiance and decor of the 1950s. Father and son are dressed in identical outfits consisting of garishly patterned aqua shirts and shorts, knee socks, and orange bowtie. The video shows a young boy (played by Karl Ruben Noel ) trying to interact with his father (played by Stromae), who sits motionless, his expression and body resembling that of a mannequin. The music video accompanying the release of "Papaoutai" was directed by Adam Nael and released on YouTube on 6 June 2013 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-two seconds.