Sweep the clouds away with this joyous origin story of your favourite childhood TV show.

The idea for Sesame Street began at a dinner party in 1966, when TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett decided to create a public-access show that would use catchy TV-commercial techniques to teach literacy and numeracy to inner-city children. In a fateful move, they recruited Jim Henson, whose now-iconic Muppets had got their start in TV ads. Fifty-five years and 51 seasons later, Sesame Street has amassed more Emmys and Grammys than any other kids’ show and become the longest-running program of its kind in history.

In this delightful documentary – based on Michael Davis’ bestselling book and lovingly received at Sundance and Hot Docs – Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom, MIFF 2005) takes you behind the scenes with Producers, puppeteers, composers and cast, illuminating how this quirky gang put on a show that has been monumental in expanding the horizons of generations of kids. Gen X viewers, especially, will enjoy recognising their favourite characters, segments and actors, but this film is more than just a nostalgia trip: it honours the originality of Sesame Street’s vision, which is still changing children’s lives today.

“Everything you ever wanted to know about Sesame Street but were still too enchanted by the magic to ask.” – Variety

Presented by the US Consulate