WIRED has announced the second installment of its exclusive WIRED@NIGHT event series, featuring a special preview screening of the documentary The Oldest Person in the World. Scheduled for Thursday, July 23, the event will take place at the historic Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, providing a thematic backdrop for a film that explores the limits of human lifespan and the nature of mortality. Directed by Academy Award nominee Sam Green, the documentary is slated for a wide theatrical release in September, making this screening a rare opportunity for audiences to view the work ahead of its official debut.
The evening is co-presented with Rooftop Films, a non-profit organization known for bringing independent cinema to unique outdoor locations across New York City. The program will conclude with an in-depth conversation between director Sam Green and WIRED features director Reyhan Harmanci, focusing on the scientific, cultural, and philosophical implications of extreme longevity—a subject that has become a cornerstone of contemporary technological and biological discourse.
A Decade-Long Exploration of Human Longevity
The Oldest Person in the World is the culmination of a ten-year cinematic journey. Sam Green, whose previous work includes the acclaimed The Weather Underground and the "live documentary" A Thousand Thoughts, spent a decade tracking the individuals who held the title of the world’s oldest living person. Because the title is, by its nature, transitory, the film serves as a chronological record of a shifting global leaderboard, moving from country to country as record-holders pass away and new ones are verified.
What began as a journalistic exercise in documenting record-breaking age eventually evolved into a profound meditation on the passage of time. The film transcends the mere presentation of biographical facts, instead focusing on the randomness of fate and the universal human experience. Through Green’s lens, the quest for longevity is stripped of its clinical coldness and replaced with a poignant look at the joy of existence and the inevitability of its conclusion. The documentary highlights the lives of "supercentenarians"—individuals who have reached the age of 110 or older—and the families and researchers who surround them.
The Symbolism of Green-Wood Cemetery
The choice of Green-Wood Cemetery as the screening venue is a deliberate alignment of content and environment. Founded in 1838, Green-Wood is a National Historic Landmark and one of the first rural cemeteries in the United States. Spanning 478 acres, it serves as the final resting place for over 560,000 individuals, including historical figures such as Leonard Bernstein and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
By hosting a film about the world’s oldest living people in a space dedicated to the deceased, organizers aim to create a dialogue between the past and the present. The venue reinforces the documentary’s themes of the cycle of life and the physical traces left behind by time. Outdoor screenings at Green-Wood have become a staple of the New York cultural summer, offering an immersive experience that traditional theaters cannot replicate. For this event, the gates will open at 7:45 pm, allowing attendees to experience the transition from twilight to darkness as the film unfolds.
The Science of Super Agers and the Quest for Longevity
The post-screening discussion between Sam Green and Reyhan Harmanci will delve into the "WIRED" perspective on aging. In recent years, the concept of "super agers"—individuals in their 80s and 90s who possess the cognitive and physical abilities of people decades younger—has moved from the fringes of geriatric research to the center of a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Data from the United Nations and the National Institute on Aging suggests that the population of centenarians is the fastest-growing demographic group in the world. In 1990, there were an estimated 95,000 centenarians globally; by 2050, that number is projected to rise to nearly 3.7 million. This demographic shift has sparked an obsession with the biological mechanisms of aging. Scientists are currently investigating "longevity genes," the impact of caloric restriction, and the role of the microbiome in extending the human "healthspan"—the period of life spent in good health, rather than just the total number of years lived.
The conversation at Green-Wood will likely address the tension between the biological reality of aging and the technological desire to "solve" death. Silicon Valley’s growing interest in biohacking and longevity research—led by figures such as Peter Thiel and companies like Altos Labs—has reframed aging as a disease to be treated rather than an inevitable biological process. Green and Harmanci will explore whether the goal of society should be to live for a "long time" or a "good time," questioning the ethics and social consequences of a world where extreme longevity might become a luxury commodity.
Chronology of the Project and Event Series
The development of The Oldest Person in the World reflects the very subject it covers: the slow, deliberate passage of years.
- 2014-2015: Sam Green begins initial research and filming, identifying the first set of subjects who held the Guinness World Record for age.
- 2016-2022: The production follows a global path, documenting individuals in Japan, France, the United States, and beyond. The production faces the unique challenge of subjects passing away during the filming process, necessitating a shift in the film’s narrative structure.
- 2023: Editing is finalized, and the film begins its circuit at prestigious film festivals, garnering praise for its sensitive handling of mortality.
- July 23, 2024: The WIRED@NIGHT screening takes place in Brooklyn, marking one of the final preview events before the documentary’s general release.
- September 2024: The Oldest Person in the World is scheduled to enter wide theatrical distribution.
This event is the second in the WIRED@NIGHT series, an initiative designed to bring the brand’s editorial focus on the future of science and technology to a live audience. The first event focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence and creative arts, signaling WIRED’s commitment to exploring how emerging trends reshape the human condition.
Broader Implications of Extreme Lifespans
The fascination with supercentenarians documented in Green’s film carries significant weight for modern society. As the average global life expectancy continues to rise, the implications for healthcare systems, social security, and intergenerational dynamics are profound.
From a sociological perspective, the "oldest person in the world" serves as a living bridge to a bygone era. A person who is 115 years old today was born before the start of World War I and has witnessed the entirety of the digital revolution. However, as the film suggests, the experience of being the oldest person is often one of profound isolation, as these individuals have outlived their peers, their children, and sometimes even their grandchildren.
The analysis provided by the film and the subsequent panel will also touch upon the "Blue Zones"—geographic areas where people live significantly longer than the global average. Researchers like Dan Buettner have identified commonalities in these regions, such as strong social ties, plant-based diets, and constant moderate physical activity. By contrasting these natural "super agers" with the high-tech interventions proposed by modern longevity startups, the event will highlight the gap between lifestyle-based health and the pharmaceutical pursuit of immortality.
Official Responses and Participant Perspectives
While official statements from the director emphasize the film’s emotional core, the partnership with WIRED suggests a deeper inquiry into the data behind the stories. Sam Green has previously noted in interviews that his interest in the project was sparked by the sheer statistical improbability of reaching such extreme ages. "There is a strange, quiet drama in the lives of these people," Green has observed. "They are the ultimate survivors, yet their lives are often defined by a very simple, repetitive routine."
Reyhan Harmanci, who will lead the discussion, has written extensively on the cultural trends that define the modern era. Her participation ensures that the dialogue will move beyond the film’s aesthetic qualities to address the hard questions about why society is currently so enamored with the idea of living forever.
Rooftop Films, as a co-presenter, continues its mission of "underground" cinema. A spokesperson for the organization stated that The Oldest Person in the World fits perfectly into their summer programming, which aims to provide audiences with "thought-provoking films in locations that enhance the viewer’s connection to the material."
Logistics and Access
The event is open to the public, with a specific focus on engaging the WIRED readership. General admission is priced at $22, though a significant discount is available for WIRED subscribers and readers. By using the promotional code "WIRED," attendees can purchase tickets for $12.
Subscribers to the publication are granted priority access to ticket sales, a move designed to bolster the community surrounding the WIRED@NIGHT series. For those unable to attend the Brooklyn event, WIRED has established a dedicated mailing list to provide updates on future screenings and discussions in other cities.
The evening will begin promptly at 7:45 pm on Thursday, July 23. Given the outdoor nature of the venue and the popularity of both Sam Green’s work and the WIRED@NIGHT series, organizers recommend early arrival. The screening will proceed rain or shine, in keeping with the tradition of New York outdoor cinema.
In a world increasingly focused on the next "disruptive" technology, The Oldest Person in the World and the accompanying WIRED@NIGHT event offer a necessary pause to consider the most fundamental human technology: the body, and the finite amount of time it is granted. Through the combination of Green’s cinematic vision and the historical weight of Green-Wood Cemetery, the event promises to be a definitive exploration of what it means to grow old in the 21st century.
