I have acquired a bootleg for the unreleased documentary “Age 7 in America,” which was America’s 1991 answer to Great Britain’s 1964 documentary series “7 Up,” which interviews seven year old children from various social classes and follows the developments of their lives every seven years, with “14 Up,” “21 Up,” and so on. The latest was “49 Up,” in which the original seven year olds are 49 years old, many of which with children and grandchildren.

This format has been aped in many countries, as you can see from this wiki list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_Series#Similar_documentaries

While the British Up Series is widely available on DVD, others are hard to find, often only seen on broadcast TV. I’d be interested in seeing any of these, and would like it if any one can post links to websites where they can be viewed or purchased, or even TV guide listings if any airing is upcoming. I think it’s an amazing project. Condensing entire lives into such a short span of time forcesus to reflect on the decisions we have made and will make in our own lives, and where our habits come from and lead to.

“Show me a child at the age of seven, and I will show you the man.”

I’ve posted Age 7 in America here: http://vimeo.com/12687896