"7 Up" is a British documentary that was released in 1964, directed by Michael Apted. The documentary profiles a group of fourteen British children from different social and economic backgrounds, who are asked about their lives, families, and aspirations. The children are chosen from different regions of the country, and their interviews are conducted by Apted himself.
The documentary was groundbreaking in its approach as it showed the children from different social backgrounds, who were at different points in their lives. The film showed both the similarities and differences between the children from different backgrounds and raised questions about how much of our lives are predetermined by our upbringing and social class.
Apted decided to revisit the children at seven-year intervals to see how their lives had changed and how much of their childhood aspirations had been realized. The next installment, "7 Plus Seven," was released in 1970 and followed the same format. The subsequent films have been made at intervals of seven years and are now called the "Up" series.
"7 Up" was a groundbreaking documentary that allowed the audience to see children from different backgrounds in an intimate and personal way. The subsequent film in the series has continued to provide a snapshot of the lives of these fourteen British individuals, as well as asking questions about the broader social issues of class, race, and opportunity.