The "Up" series of films documents the lives of 14 British children since they were 7 years old up to the present. The first documentary in the series, "Seven Up!", was shot in 1964, and the latest film (so far), "63 Up", was shot in 2019. The series was directed by Michael Apted after the first film, in which Apted worked as a researcher. The series is remarkable in offering a unique look into human development using as example lives of ordinary people traced from childhood into the old age. The "Up" series is a monumental achievement in the history of filmmaking. The entire experience of watching the films in sequence and following the lives of the people cannot be reduced simply to a set of lessons learned. You have to watch the films to really "get it", and definitely watch multiple times. I will mention just a few most memorable things that struck me as significant.
Chance favors the prepared mind. This very successful series of documentaries came to life by chance: the first film was planned only as a single stand-alone feature, not a series. The studio offered Michael Apted a chance to create a sequel only later, when the children were about to turn 14. He took this opportunity, and offered to commit to come back every seven years to shoot the subsequent films.
Also, regardless of the social class (the subjects ranged from working class to upper class), most people eventually recognized how important good education (for example, college) is. Those that had good education themselves made sure to offer the same for their children. And those that did not have good education themselves understood the significance of education later in life and tried to give their kids and grandkids something better than what they had.
Social class into which a person is born is hugely important: it often determines the person's social class for decades.
One of the biggest psychological traumas that most people experienced was the death of their parents. Reflections on the death of their parents almost universally brought tears to the eyes of the documentary subjects, no matter what age. Truly cherishing every moment together with the people you love may be one of the most lasting and uplifting lessons from the "Up" series.
