Last year on on our podcast, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Sharon Preston-Folta, the subject of the highly-acclaimed documentary Little Satchmo. The film has been making waves since its premiere at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Greece. It has been a top contender for the Best Historical Documentary Emmy at the 49th Annual Emmy Awards Gala in Atlanta on June 17.

Based on Preston-Folta’s memoir, Little Satchmo offers an unprecedented look into her relationship with her father, legendary musician Louis Armstrong, which had remained invisible for over 50 years. The film—which we learned about in our sitdown with Preston-Folta—has been shown on national television in the USA and screened at film festivals worldwide, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards, including five Best Historical Documentary EMMY nominations.

Directed by John Alexander, Little Satchmo features narration by John Boutté and original music  from Emmy/Grammy winner and nominee composer Eddie Korvin, featuring trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. The film was produced by JC Guest and the late Lea Umberger, with executive producers Sharon Preston-Folta, Emily Bonavia, and Susan Houston.

The documentary sheds light on a previously unknown aspect of Armstrong’s life, providing a rare glimpse into the personal and private world of one of America’s most beloved musical icons. During our podcast with Ms. Preston-Folta, she offered details of the story, including the recounting of a childhood story of her father telling her mother he’d never marry her on a family vacation. Little Satchmo‘s sold-out premiere was followed by debuts at the American Black Film Festival, Toronto’s Hot Docs’ Doc Soup Film Series, and the Oscar-qualifying Krakow Film Festival. The film has picked up top prizes in France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and the USA.

PBS International is handling the film’s global release, with a UK national television broadcast debut set for May 26 on PBS America, followed by releases in New Zealand, Italy, and other territories. Preston-Folta, who lived in the shadows of her father for most of her life, reveals her family’s story in the PBS documentary, the Season Premiere of PBS Reel South Season 7.