An intimate documentary on Carroll Spinney, who has been Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since 1969.

You know his voice, his bobbing walk and his feathery yellow suit, but very few have seen his face. Since 1969, Carroll Spinney has been an invisible artist and master of performance and puppetry, portraying both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street, and he has no intention of stopping.

Now 78-years-old, Spinney looks back on his life and career, tracking his quiet personal struggles and professional maturation, all while working his way into the hearts of millions. Alongside a tour of the Sesame Street set, the film is interspersed with archival footage and rare interviews with Jim Henson, Frank Oz, other muppet masters and his wife Debra.

A massive hit at Hot Docs, I Am Big Bird is an infectious, triumphant joy, bursting with moments of nostalgic beauty and childlike wonder.