The Oldest Person in the World

Director Sam Green expected to attend

For the last decade, the boundlessly curious documentarian Sam Green has been on a quest to interview the oldest person in the world. What begins as a quirky personal project gradually evolves into a fascinating collage of images and music—a deeply moving exploration of the passage of time, the randomness of fate, and the profound joy of being alive.

Modern biohackers on YouTube would be horrified by these centenarians’ habits. Some think nothing of drinking Coca-Cola, having a daily martini, or eating an astonishing number of eggs. Many are also quick to sing, recite poetry, or pray. While Green’s palpable sense of wonder and reflection never wavers, his conception of the film shifts as the world record relentlessly passes from one person to the next, and as events in his own life and the wider world compel changes in perspective. At a time of deep division, The Oldest Person in the World is a delightful, poignant, and refreshing reminder of our shared humanity. —Laura Henneman

Sam Green is a New York–based documentary filmmaker. The Oldest Person in the World marks his seventh feature to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. His most recent film, 32 Sounds (Oscar Shortlist), opened both the 2022 Sundance and SXSW festivals. Green is known for his “live documentaries,” including A Thousand Thoughts (with Kronos Quartet, 2018), The Measure of All Things (2014), The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller (with Yo La Tengo, 2012), and Utopia in Four Movements (2010), in which he narrates live while musicians perform an original score. His feature The Weather Underground (2004) premiered at Sundance, was nominated for an Academy Award, and was included in the Whitney Biennial.