Focus Features has released an emotional clip of the upcoming Fred Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” which offers an intimate look at the iconic children’s show host and his improbable role in affecting the lives of millions of children with his simple message of love. The trailer’s release on Tuesday falls on what would have been Rogers’ 90th birthday. (He died in 2003 after a battle with stomach cancer.)
“If you take all the elements that make good television and do the exact opposite, you have ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,”’ producer Margy Whitmer says in the clip. “Low production values, simple set, an unlikely star—yet it worked.”
The documentary, which will hit theaters on June 8, will likely be praised for its message of hope and caring amid the unrelenting negativity and divisiveness coming from Washington. With images of assassinations, wars, and racial conflict that occurred during the more than three decades Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood appeared on public television, the trailer serves as a useful reminder that Americans have weathered through similarly challenging times.
Rogers had a uniquely gentle approach to covering tough subjects for children. His special lesson? “Love is at the root of everything—all learning, all relationships,” Rogers is shown saying. “Love or the lack of it.”
Watch the lovely trailer below:
