Who needs retirement? For 45 years, master puppeteer Caroll Spinney has brought to life two of Sesame Street’s most iconic muppets: Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. Isn’t it about time that audiences—both young and old—get to know the extraordinary man who literally and figuratively inhabits these characters?

With I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story, filmmakers Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker offer a loving portrait of Spinney from his experiences as a bullied child to an exploration of the work ethic and artistry that made him one of Jim Henson’s most valuable collaborators.

Tribeca Film will release I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story on iTunes and VOD platforms on May 5. The film will also open in NYC at the IFC Center starting May 6, featuring Q&As with Caroll Spinney and directors Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker all weekend. Click here to see if the doc is coming to a theater near you!