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 . 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 . Father and son are dressed in identical outfits consisting of garishly patterned aqua shirts and shorts , knee socks , and orange bowtie . The video has the ambiance and decor of the 1950s . 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 . Frustrated , the son does various dances in front of his own father until one of his efforts provokes the father to smile . 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 . In frustration , the son joins Stromae on the sofa , assuming a rigid , lifeless position identical to his father 's . The song and video refers to the absence of Stromae 's father — who had little presence in Stromae 's life even before being killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide — and to Stromae 's fear of being unable to be an effective father with no memory of ever having a father of his own . The video has received over 600 million views on YouTube
Rwandan genocide
Rwandan genocide
Papaoutai