Fast-Forward

It’s one thing to put on an aging suit for an hour and experience some aches and pains. It’s another to spend an entire week in an “aging bootcamp” undergoing tests and doctor visits, being immersed in communities of 80-somethings, and evaluating your family’s future health trajectory, caregiving and living arrangements. As a result, FAST-FORWARD, a documentary film narrated by Rosario Dawson, inspires viewers to see their future in a whole new light having critical conversations with their families about how they can maximize their choices and well-being throughout life. Drey, a Millennial, wears AGNES, the “aging empathy suit, " in an exercise class with a group of 80-somethings, and immediately has a new understanding of the physical limits his 65-year father already shows and feels. Susan, 51, tests AGNES in an Airstream trailer that her 32 year old daughter set up as a living space for Susan's retirement years. They both instantly realize the plan is not only uncomfortable, it’s dangerous. In such intimate portrayals, we see parents and their grown children alike internalize the benefits of viewing and discussing advanced age realistically, and understanding the simple steps they can take. This includes ways to preserve their health, have a life-long purpose, and arrange their caregiving and end-of-life wishes before a crisis or chronic diagnosis may occur. Interviews with medical and aging experts explain how "having the conversation" with loved ones must become the new norm because an unprecedented number of Americans are living longer than ever. These conversations about wants and needs as we age and how older age can be a happy, purposeful time make for happier families and successful aging. Across age, gender, race, ethnicity, income levels, and geography, FAST-FORWARD shows us the path to a healthier, successful version of longevity awaiting us to claim. Fast-Forward features an original song by Andrew Bird.