As I mentioned two weeks ago, Hot Docs is coming up soon. I’m actually quite excited now as I’ve finally had a chance to look through the complete schedule and press kit and am starting to see my festival experience take shape. Having given every film listing a once over, I thought between now and the beginning of the festival, I would take a moment once a week to highlight some of the films I’m looking forward to the most. So in no particular order, let us begin!

One of the films I’m looking most forward to takes us behind the scenes of the way a man and his muppet have affected the world. The man is Kevin Clash and he is the puppeteer behind Elmo from Sesame Street. His story comes to light in the Sundance Special Jury Prize winner BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY.

What makes this fascinating for me is the way it illuminates the life of a children’s entertainer. Think about the way some of us want to stab ourselves in the ear if we hear particular children’s songs and entertainment just one. more. time. Then think about being the person whose life is all about being the source of those songs, voices, and unending happiness.

We can all agree that it takes a certain type of disposition to handle the grizzliest jobs in the world – coroners, EMT drivers, etc. By that measure, we have to realize that it also takes a certain type of disposition to handle the jobs that call for unending enthusiasm. Ever come across a bad Mall Santa? Well imagine your reaction as a parent – or worse, a kid – if you met a surly muppet!

How Kevin Clash came to be who he is, what goes into being a part of the magic that is Jim Henson’s workshop, and where they all find that neverending supply of joy is a story I can’t wait to dig into.

BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY will screen on Friday May 6th and Saturday May 7th – both days at 7:15pm in the Isabel Bader Theatre. It will also screen once more on Sunday May 8th at 4:40pm in the TIFF Bell Lightbox.