Seven Plus Seven

In 1963, Michael Apted and Paul Almond started a cinematic study of the experiences of 14 seven-year-old British children. Coming from all different social backgrounds, the schoolchildren talked about their feelings, wishes and ambitions in Seven Up. Seven years later, Apted filmed the same seven children again in 7 Plus Seven, and since then he has revisited them every seven years, resulting in last year's 49 Up. The series is the first chronicle of its kind and was also successful outside Britain. Through the people's stories, the chronicle poses important questions about British society. Is England still a class society? To what extent is your fate already decided at birth? To what degree are your chances of luck influenced by your social circumstances? The more the series progresses, the clearer it becomes what unexpected turns life can take. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)