Asif Kapadia Calls Directing Final Up Documentary His Dream Job After Six-Decade Series

Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Asif Kapadia has built his reputation chronicling the lives of extraordinary figures – from Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna to soccer icon Diego Maradona to tragic music star Amy Winehouse. Yet the director revealed his true “dream job” involved capturing the stories of ordinary people in their seventies, not global superstars.

Speaking at Rome’s MIA Market on Thursday, Kapadia shared his experience directing the final installment of the groundbreaking “Up” documentary series, which followed 14 everyday Brits over more than six decades. The two-part finale aired last month in the United Kingdom on ITV, marking the conclusion of television history’s longest-running documentary project.

“In the U.K., this is one of the most important television shows made. There’s nothing [like it],” Kapadia said. “It deals with humanity and life. Real people. Ordinary people.”

The series launched in 1964 with “7 Up,” capturing the lives of 10 boys and four girls in England, all aged seven at the time. Cameras revisited the group every seven years to chart their journey from childhood through teenage years, into adulthood, and through careers, marriage, divorce, parenting, bereavement, and more.

A Global Phenomenon Spanning Generations

The “Up” series stands as the longest-running documentary series ever made, broadcasting in 157 countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Australia, and France. The project’s unprecedented scope allowed audiences worldwide to witness authentic human development unfold in real time, offering insights into class, ambition, relationships, and the unpredictable nature of life itself.

Director Michael Apted helmed all but the first installment of the series before his death in 2021. Kapadia received the responsibility of directing the final chapter, describing the opportunity as both an honor and a privilege.

“It was like finishing off something someone had started – just closing the circle,” he said. “It’s a dream job.”

Kapadia appeared in conversation with Marco Spagnoli, MIA’s head of documentary content, who noted that when Apted attended the Rome market in 2018, he described the “Up” series as “his life-defining project.” The comment underscored the profound personal and professional significance the documentary held for its late director.

From Childhood Viewer to Final Director

The acclaimed filmmaker shared the story of how he came to direct the series’ closing chapter, revealing a personal connection to the project that dated back decades. Kapadia grew up watching the iconic series in his North London home, huddled around the television set with his parents and siblings, absorbing the evolving stories of the documentary’s subjects.

Fast forward more than four decades, and the opportunity arrived unexpectedly. “Someone knocks on the door of my office and says, ‘Are you Asif?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Did you make “Senna”?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Would you be interested in making the “7 Up” film?'” Kapadia recounted with a grin, describing the moment that would connect his childhood viewing experience with his professional career.

The director’s previous work demonstrates his mastery of the documentary form and his ability to craft compelling narratives from real lives. His 2016 film “Amy,” an intimate portrait of late singer Amy Winehouse, won the Oscar for best documentary feature. His other acclaimed works include “Senna,” chronicling the Brazilian racing champion, and “Diego Maradona,” exploring the complex life of the Argentine soccer legend.

Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Impact

What sets the “Up” series apart from Kapadia’s previous celebrity-focused documentaries is its deliberate focus on ordinary individuals navigating the universal challenges and joys of human existence. The participants were not chosen for fame, talent, or dramatic life stories, but rather as representatives of different social backgrounds in post-war Britain.

The series’ power lies in its unflinching examination of how early circumstances, choices, and chance shape entire lifetimes. Viewers watched children full of dreams and assumptions about their futures confront the reality of adult life, sometimes fulfilling expectations and often defying them entirely. The documentary captured triumph and disappointment, stability and upheaval, all with remarkable honesty from its subjects.

By the time Kapadia took over direction, the original seven-year-olds had reached their seventies, offering perspectives shaped by decades of lived experience. The final installment provides closure not just for the subjects and filmmakers but for generations of viewers who have followed these lives with the investment typically reserved for close friends or family members.

Legacy of Groundbreaking Documentary Filmmaking

The “Up” series pioneered what would become known as longitudinal documentary filmmaking, influencing countless similar projects worldwide. Its format has been adapted in multiple countries, but none have matched the original’s duration or cultural impact. The British version remains the gold standard for documentary series exploring human development over time.

For Kapadia, bringing the series to a close represented both a creative challenge and an emotional journey. Taking the reins from Apted meant respecting the established relationship between filmmaker and subjects while bringing his own sensibility to the final chapter. The responsibility of honoring more than 60 years of documentary history weighed on the acclaimed director.

The filmmaker’s description of the project as his “dream job” speaks to the unique nature of the “Up” series within documentary filmmaking. While celebrity subjects offer built-in audience interest, the ordinary participants in “Up” provided something rarer: authentic, unfiltered human experience documented across an unprecedented timespan. Their willingness to share their lives created a cultural touchstone that transcended typical documentary boundaries.

As the “Up” series reaches its conclusion, Kapadia’s involvement ensures the project ends in the hands of a master storyteller who understands both its cultural significance and its deeply human core. The final installment serves as a testament to the power of sustained observation, the complexity of ordinary lives, and the enduring appeal of watching real people navigate the unpredictable journey from childhood to old age.