Seven Up!

In 1964, filmmaker Michael Apted was working on a documentary under the direction of David Puttnam, at that time a young British producer, Apted embarked on an ambitious project that would become an ongoing documentary series: "Seven Up!" The objective was to capture the essence of a group of British children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds at the age of seven. The documentary's premise revolved around gathering candid insights into their worldviews, aspirations, and personalities. The project involved a series of sit-down interviews with a mix of children from working-class communities, upper-class backgrounds, and those from various ethnic origins, all sharing the same seven years old milestone. Apted and his team meticulously selected twenty-five children, whose stories would become a poignant and thought-provoking reflection of societal changes over the years. The participants' lives spanned the spectrum of the British class system, as Apted explained "to create a fair sampling of British society." These children, handpicked by Apted, were all the same age, with no specific criteria beyond their shared age, which ensured that each participant's responses would be directly comparable as they matured. On the day of filming, Apted visited various locations across Britain and asked each child the identical set of questions, including "what do you like to do?", and "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Their responses, filled with wide-eyed innocence and candor, offered a glimpse into the dreams, fears, and ambitions of the youngest members of society. As Apted later observed, their raw and unencumbered perspectives provided an authentic and valuable window into the human condition. As the participants were re-interviewed, or more accurately, followed at seven-year intervals in subsequent series, their lives unfolded along the lines of British societal trends. From the 1964 series up to the present day, Apted's work has consistently provided captivating insights into the shifting tides of British culture. As each successive instalment unfolded, it became clear that, despite some similarities, there were vast socio-economic disparities among the participants. By reuniting with the subjects every seven years, Apted managed to observe personal triumphs, failures, and transformations that reflected broader societal trends. Many children struggled to find a direction in life; a few faced significant personal tragedy, which had lasting consequences. Conversely, others flourished, overcoming adversity and realising their early ambitions. The interviews revealed the complexities of life experiences and shed light on the profound impact of socio-economic status, geographic location, and family support systems on the aspirations and outcomes of these young individuals. The series offered a powerful commentary on the consequences of inequality, highlighting how a child born into a relatively impoverished, working-class environment may face vastly different prospects than one from a well-to-do family. In "Seven Up!", Apted's masterstroke was not in predicting specific outcomes or attempting to intervene, but in providing an objective, long-term narrative. He captured snapshots of the subjects' evolution, as each new interview revealed how the world around them was changing. Each instalment, therefore, offered both a poignant account of individual lives and an evocative representation of societal shifts during the intervening period. Through Apted's lens, we witness British society's journey through periods of rapid change and upheaval, reflecting on how our collective worldview, values, and economic fortunes have evolved. This poignant documentary has become a testament to the power of social observation, offering both profound insights and emotional depth.