Press for The Oldest Person in the World

One of "The 13 best movies at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival”

"Delightfully insightful... Sneakily profound and unexpectedly personal... Open-hearted without tipping into sentimentality... The best kind of cinematic experience: an entertaining and enlightening 'meaning of life' movie... Green has given his subjects an incredible gift: the kind of immortality only cinema can provide."

– Peter Debruge, Variety

"Takes a rewardingly personal turn... Gleans a real poignancy... A heartfelt, wistful, and aggressively poignant collection of interviews... An affecting watch... Green is such an open-hearted and genuine searcher... Time is reframed less as something to resist (or defy) than as something to embrace."

– David Ehrlich, IndieWire

“Like a living work of art. The Oldest Person in the World is surprisingly, almost confrontationally life-affirming… This closeness, this intimacy, is the real source of the film’s power — especially in a world where it’s become so easy to avoid real-life human contact… Watching these people, their features embrittled by time and their eyes speaking to us of the unimaginable fragility of our own lives, we realize just how transformational and healing it can sometimes be simply to look into a stranger’s face.”

– Bilge Ebiri, Vulture

Included in “The 10 best Sundance 2026 films we watched (virtually)” 

"People of all ages should give this encouraging documentary a spin; its well-lived lessons applicable from 0-99. What a gem."

– Cory Woodruff, USA Today

One of "The Must-See Films at the Final Year in Park City"

“A poetic, stirring [documentary] contending with the slippery passage of time and a personal look at familial bonds and carrying values to the next generation."

– Jordan Raup, The Film Stage

One of the "The 10 best movies at the Sundance Film Festival”

– Peter Howell, Toronto Star

One of the "11 Films to Catch at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival"

"As [Green] profiles subject after subject, existential questions arise concerning the human condition, the swift sands of time, and the unique privilege (or perhaps great cost?) of living a long, long life. Arriving after the sonic meditation of 32 Sounds, which won acclaim at Sundance back in 2023, The Oldest Person in the World promises an equally ruminative approach, his time concerning human longevity."

– Natalia Keogan, Filmmaker Magazine

"[A] moving celebration of lives lived long... Continually, and slyly, confronts us with our mortality... Green makes for an engaging narrator, managing to strike a wistful yet wryly self-aware tone that’s perfect for a film dealing with both the marvel of supercentenarian life spans and the blunt realities of death."

– Ross McIndoe, Slant Magazine

"A soft and gentle hug of a film, one that reifies life's most sacred values while retaining the essential mystery behind our most pressing questions... [Green’s] latest documentary is delivered straight from his beating heart... Magical."

– Gregory Nussen, Screen Rant

"Shines as a resounding reminder that the world beyond one's own is more enriching... Green makes a meal of emotional life in this film... Green’s direction embodies a worldwide fascination and curiosity about what the world’s oldest people have learned... Explores a fascinating subject with curiosity, while introducing us to an equally fascinating group of individuals from around the world. The glimpses into their lives may be fleeting, but the resonance of their stories reverberates."

– Nadia Dalimonte, Next Best Picture

One of the "Can't-Miss Documentaries at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival"

"As one record holder passes and another takes their place, The Oldest Person in the World becomes a meditation on time’s relentless forward motion, the randomness of survival, and the small moments that make a life feel full. It’s a gentle and deeply moving film that reminds us of the fragile miracle of being here at all."

– Dillon Gonzales, Geek Vibes Nation

"Takes the time to remind us that life, living it, is both common and profound."

– Dave Giannini, Geek Vibes Nation

“A moving patchwork of interpretations on longevity that, juxtaposed to footage of the director’s infant son growing up, makes for a deeply moving meditation on the ticking clock of life."

– Rafa Sales Ross, A Rabbit’s Foot

"Thank god for documentarian Sam Green, who follows up his masterful 32 Sounds with The Oldest Person in the World, a charming and soulful look at supercentenarians... A sensational portrait of what it means to keep living in the moment, regardless of what the future might provide, and something of a repudiation to more superficial pursuits."

– Eric Kohn, Southampton Playhouse Post

"Moving... A celebration of life... Something profound emerges as each passing seems to take an entire epoch of time along with it."

– Stephen Saito, The Moveable Fest

“One of the most charming documentaries at Sundance… A poignant and insightful exploration of longevity, mortality and humankind’s need to put on a show… Consistently wise and joyous, raising important questions about who gets to live long, who leaves early, and what is the meaning of it all.”

– Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in

"A thought-provoking look at age and mortality... Worthwhile and sure to provoke reaction."

– Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz

"Centering on six women, Green catalogues and distinguishes their stories from one another, offering brilliant summaries through a tender, curious lens... ‘The Oldest Person in the World’ is loaded and rich, a clear standout in Sundance’s documentary category. That its story is neverending — there will always be an oldest person in the world to learn from — is perhaps its greatest comfort."

– Denis Mullan, The Daily Californian