Mister Rogers and Me

Benjamin Wagner was a rising MTV producer when his life was transformed by a meeting with the recently retired host of the iconic Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Fred Rogers. This charming and philosophical documentary chronicles Wagner’s quest to understand Rogers’s mantra: “deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex.” This gnomic message forces Wagner to reevaluate his life, journeying some 4,000 mile across country to meet people also touched by Rogers, including Tim Russert, Susan Stamberg, and Linda Ellerbee. A true independent labor of love, this quietly profound film is mostly financed by the filmmakers. As Steve Rosenbaum wrote on the Huffington Post: "Mister. Rogers & Me is a gem of a film. Nostalgic and relevant. A revealing personal journey that asks important questions about our human connections. And important questions about how media connect with our children today.”