‘Make, Believe, Magic’ on the big screen at GOMA's Australian Cinémathèque

The magical realms and fantastic creatures of ‘Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company' come to life on the big screen with three exclusive accompanying cinema programs at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) from 12 September.

The three curated programs at the Gallery’s Australian Cinémathèque will captivate audiences with over 90 films encompassing cinema classics, fan favourites, genre-defying adventure and rarely seen treasures.

QAGOMA Director Chris Saines CNZM said: ‘The Gallery’s ambitious record of highlighting the symbiotic relationship between the screen and broader visual culture is exemplified in the exhibition 'Make, Believe, Magic’, and these accompanying film programs amplify and celebrate the influential work of The Jim Henson Company.

‘The featured films explore a rich history of storytelling through the combined art forms of cinema and puppetry in productions by The Jim Henson Company, and others that feature creatures brought to life by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop,’ said Mr Saines.

QAGOMA’s Assistant Curator, Australian Cinémathèque, and film program curator, Victoria Wareham said: ‘The cinema programs reveal the influence of The Jim Henson Company upon the broader canon of on-screen puppetry.

‘Together, these films celebrate the Company’s ability to create immersive worlds, unforgettable stories and deeply expressive characters that have made for some of the most memorable moments in cinema history,’ said Dr Wareham.

The first program, ‘Screened to be Believed: The Jim Henson Company’, showcases the Company’s productions, from the much-loved high fantasy films The Dark Crystal 1982 and Labyrinth 1986 to more recent titles such as the Queensland‑filmed The Portable Door 2023.

The second, ‘Where the Wild Things Are Made: Jim Henson’s Creature Shop’, celebrates the skill and craftsmanship of the artisans at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, as seen in the half-shell heroes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990, the loveable farmyard creatures of Babe 1995 and an intergalactic menagerie in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 2005.

Finally, ‘Beyond Henson: Puppetry and World Cinema’ surveys the rich international history of puppetry in cinema, demonstrated by films as varied as The History of Ha 2021, from renowned Filipino proponent of slow cinema Lav Diaz, and Spike Jonze’s absurdist breakthrough feature Being John Malkovich 1999.

Visitors will be able to make connections between hundreds of objects on display in the exhibition and their big screen appearances, from Big Bird and Mr Snuffleupagus in Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird 1985, to the Gelfing and Skeksis in both The Dark Crystal 1982 and its enthralling behind-the-scenes documentary The World of the Dark Crystal 1983.

The ‘Make, Believe, Magic’ cinema programs are free, with screenings on selected Wednesday and Friday nights and throughout the day on Saturday and Sundays.

For the full cinema programs visit:

Screened to be Believed: The Jim Henson Company
Where the Wild Things Are Made: Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Beyond Henson: Puppetry and World Cinema

The exhibition, ‘Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company’ is only at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), from 12 September 2026 until 18 April 2027.

For exhibition tickets and more information, click HERE

ENDS