E115: Forever Young (An Interview with Filmmaker David Donnelly)

The real fear behind longevity isn’t aging or death, but the possibility of living longer without meaning, connection or purpose. As longevity science accelerates, many people feel more anxiety than hope, driven less by fear of death than by fear of isolation, irrelevance, and dying alone. Today’s guest is award-winning filmmaker David Donnelly. His newest documentary is Forever Young. In the film, Donnelly frames longevity and biohacking as a cultural and human story, not an optimization project: Forever Young pairs scientific breakthroughs with questions about relationships, mortality, and social connection, arguing that death still gives life urgency and value and that extending lifespan without strengthening human bonds risks longer lives that feel emptier, not richer. In this view, longevity is not only a biological challenge, but a social one.

About David: David Donnelly is an American documentary filmmaker whose work spans classical music, culture, and technology. His award-winning debut feature, Maestro, profiled leading artists including Paavo Järvi, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, and Lang Lang, and was broadcast internationally. He later directed Nordic Pulse and Forte, completing a trilogy that offers an inside view of the classical music world, including stories tied to Estonia’s Singing Revolution. Donnelly’s films have screened at venues including the Whitney Museum and the Kennedy Center. In 2021, he co-founded CultureNet and began a documentary trilogy exploring technology’s cultural impact, including The Cost of Convenience and Forever Young. He is also a sought-after speaker who has interviewed global thought leaders across more than 30 countries.

RESOURCES: 

• Website — https://www.foreveryoung.film/
• Substack — https://foreveryoungfilm.substack.com/
• Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/foreveryoungdoc
• X — https://x.com/theagingdoc
• FB — https://www.facebook.com/people/Forever-Young-Film/61572955294447/
• YT — https://www.youtube.com/@ForeverYoung-Film
• Film Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT2V-USKm6g
• Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/forever-young/umc.cmc.4t1561uviumw4ofcri0ufql7v?ctx_at=6