I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story

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I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story is a documentary directed by Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker. The film premiered at last year’s Hot Docs Film Festival to wonderful reviews and currently holds an 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

I AM BIG BIRD profiles Caroll Spinney, the 80-year-old puppeteer who has been behind Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since the show’s first season. Relying heavily on Caroll’s incredible archive of home videos dating back to the 1950s, I AM BIG BIRD captures how the love radiating from Caroll has created a worldwide cultural icon and answers why he can’t say goodbye to the characters he cherishes.

The film received a large part of its budget through Kickstarter, where backers could win rewards including dinner with Spinney and pieces of his original artwork. In total the crowdfunding raised close to $125 000. The directors had a treasure trove of footage to dig through as Spinney and his wife Debra gave them access to their home videos and photos. We had a chance to talk to Spinney at Hot Docs last year and he was as kind and happy as the 7-foot tall bird he’s become famous for puppeteering.

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story is rated PG.