ABOUT THE FILM

Beloved by children of all ages around the world, Elmo is an international icon. Few people know his creator, Kevin Clash, who dreamed of working with his idol, master puppeteer Jim Henson. Displaying his creativity and talent at a young age, Kevin ultimately found a home on Sesame Street. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this documentary includes rare archival footage, interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.

 
ABOUT KEVIN CLASH

Kevin Clash, whose characters include Elmo, Hoots the Owl and Baby Natasha, is Sesame Street’s Senior Puppet Coordinator and Muppet Captain as well as Sesame Workshop’s Senior Creative Consultant.

He began building puppets at the age of 10 and performed on Baltimore’s Harbor Front and local television as a teenager. Clash’s first television work was for the CBS affiliate in Baltimore. He came to Sesame Street after attracting the attention of Muppet™ designer Kermit Love. Clash’s film credits include Jim Henson’s 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I and II, Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets from Space and Elmo in Grouchland.

His television work includes The Great Space Coaster, Captain Kangaroo, Dinosaurs and Muppets Tonight. He also was Co-Executive Producer for Elmopalooza, CinderElmo, and Elmo’s World; Co-Producer for The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland; and also directs Sesame Street episodes and other projects. Clash directed and co-produced the DVD series Sesame Beginnings for Sesame Workshop. Moreover, he directed and was Co-Producer for Sesame Workshop’s outreach DVD Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings and Changes.

His most recent work includes directing and appearing in Talk, Listen, Connect: When Families Grieve. He also directed the Muppet™ segments of the PBS primetime special, Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times. Clash won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series for his work as Elmo in Sesame Street Seasons 21, 35-37, 39-41 and in 2001-2008 and 2010-2011 for his work as Co-Executive Producer for Outstanding Pre-School Children’s Series.

In September 2006, Clash released his autobiography, My Life as a Furry Red Monster, What Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud.

REVIEWS

“THUMBS UP!”
- Roger Ebert, EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES


“GRADE A! A MARVELOUS MOVIE! It's a documentary about Kevin Clash, who became the voice and operator of Elmo, the tomato-red fur ball and emissary of hugs who is without a doubt the most beloved Muppet of his time.”
- Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY


“[ONE OF THE FIVE BEST INDIE MOVIES TO SEE THIS MONTH] REMARKABLE...a heartwarming story of how one person realized his dream, and made significant sacrifices along the way.”
- Leonard Maltin, THE HUFFINGTON POST


“CRITICS' PICK! A winning tale of the persistence and creativity behind one of the most famous and fuzziest faces in the world.”
- Neil Genzlinger, THE NEW YORK TIMES


“TOUCHING! Should you be looking for a feel-good film this weekend, you can't do much better than Constance Marks' sweet documentary Being Elmo.”
- Moira Macdonald, THE SEATTLE TIMES


“Go see the film and you'll understand what I mean and why the film won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance this year.”
- Deborah Stambler, HUFFINGTON POST


“Superb! One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. The subject is fantastic, the interviews are fantastic...”
- Jenika Katz, FLIXIST.COM


“A classic American tale... A generous, heartwarming story. For any adult feeling overwhelmed by bad news and dark times, your antidote is right here.”
- Elizabeth Weitzman, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS


“Inspiring... Deeply Moving... Even committed Elmo-haters may be converted by the time the closing credits roll.”
- Noel Murray, A.V. CLUB


“Being Elmo is a rare documentary that will delight viewers of all ages and cultures world wide for years to come. Being Elmo is one of the most sincere portraits of a creative genius who doesn't get the recognition he deserves.”
- Jason Elsbury, SOUND ON SIGHT


“The documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, which should make Kevin Clash a household name, is an INSPIRING AND JOYOUS celebration of art, skill, determination and making kids happy.”
- Kyle Smith, NEW YORK POST


“Of all the fur-swathed celebrities at the Sundance Film Festival this year, none holds a candle to Elmo... The squeaky-voiced muppet moved fans to tears Sunday at the world premiere.”
- Julie Makinen, LOS ANGELES TIMES


“Production values are top-notch, particularly the cinematography by James Miller and Joel Goodman's energetic, fanciful score. Being Elmo is a rare documentary that will connect across generations and cultures to delight viewers worldwide for years to come.”
- Justin Lowe, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER


“Look for Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey to have a Michael Moore-style box-office-pumping effect.”
- Andrew Pridgen, SALT LAKE MAGAZINE


“THE ONE FILM THAT REALLY STOLE MY HEART AT SUNDANCE was Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, the inspiring and heartwarming story of Kevin Clash, the voice and genius behind one of the world's most iconic children's personality.”
- Raffi Asdourian, THE FILM STAGE


“It is impossible to come out of this documentary about Kevin Clash, the man behind Elmo, without wanting to hug someone.”
- Jada Yuan, VULTURE/NEW YORK MAGAZINE


“Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey Melts My Heart - it is a tender look at the life of a man who has brought joy to so many children, sometimes at the expense of his own, and a truly inspiring story of success.”
- Ethan Anderton, FIRSTSHOWING.NET


“Without fanfare, and without many of the bells and whistles that have become the go-to elements of documentary storytelling, Connie Marks has filled her film with Clash's larger-than-life impact, and shared a story so compelling, and so replete with positivity, that any distributor who can harvest its audience, is sure to reap long tail rewards... and many, many hugs.”
- Elliot V. Kotek, JUNTO BOX


“Being Elmo tells the story of Kevin Clash, whose love of puppets would lead him to work for his idol, mentor and friend Jim Henson and all the amazing folks that work with Sesame Street and the Muppets. The amazing documentary showcases how Kevin's never-ending desire to stick with his passion would lead to iconic status of a little red puppet named Elmo. Its A POWERFUL AND MOVING DOCUMENTARY that easily is ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF 2011. GO SEE THIS UTTERLY CAPTIVATING FILM.”
- PEARL SNAP DISCOUNT BLOG