Directed by David Donnelly, Forever Young explores humanity’s insatiable obsession with cheating death. Donnelly examines the science, philosophy, and personal stakes behind the modern longevity movement. The documentary moves between cutting-edge research and human reflection, setting the stage for what it really means to grow old and whether aging itself is inevitable.
The documentary charts humanity’s evolving relationship with aging by tracing the scientific, cultural, and personal questions surrounding the inevitability of growing old and dying. The documentary takes a deep dive into laboratories and research institutions. It features in-depth conversations with the world’s leading aging scientists and physicians who want to reframe aging as a biological process rather than a fixed destiny.
“…charts humanity’s evolving relationship with aging by tracing the scientific, cultural, and personal questions…”
Forever Young is anchored by interviews that blend hard science with lived human experience. A wide-ranging group of experts at the forefront of longevity research includes Dr. Eric Verdin (President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging), Dr. Nir Barzilai (Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Dr. Steve Horvath (Altos Labs), and Dr. Richard Miller (Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging), who approach the subject from a scientific perspective. They are joined by thinkers such as futurist PJ Manney, entrepreneur Naveen Jain, psychiatrist Sarah Centeno, death doula Katie Rose, and artist-strategist Taryn Southern, taking us beyond the lab to explore psychology, mortality, connection, and meaning. Together, these interview subjects form a cross-disciplinary portrait of a field racing forward.
The film really gets in the weeds on its subject. It examines why different species age at different rates and how researchers are learning to slow, measure, and potentially reset biological aging in humans. Concepts such as epigenetics, the Horvath Clock, and AI-driven biometric monitoring are presented, along with real-world applications involving nutrition, disease prevention, and fads like fasting and lifestyle optimization. The documentary also addresses the rise of longevity-focused industries, where evidence-based research can morph into commercial hype, and even outright scams. It further considers issues of class around the world: the more affluent you are, the longer you’re likely to live, yet ironically, the affluent are less likely to have children, raising questions about a society that may live longer but shrink demographically.
"…really gets in the weeds on its subject."
