The Time Step (2026)
Story overview
The Time Step is a 2026 documentary by Robert Kolodny that presents a personal portrait of the filmmaker's grandmother through self-scanned 8mm footage from the 1940s to 1960s. This short film (1 minute runtime) was commissioned for the True/False Film Festival and offers a nostalgic, family-focused glimpse into historical home movies without narration or dramatic storytelling.
Parent Guide
A completely safe, educational documentary suitable for viewers of all ages. Contains only historical family footage with no concerning content.
Content breakdown
No violence, peril, or dangerous situations depicted.
Nothing scary or disturbing. Contains only gentle historical family footage.
The film is silent with no dialogue or text.
No sexual content or nudity present.
No depiction of substance use.
May evoke mild nostalgia or curiosity about family history, but no intense emotions.
Parent tips
This documentary is suitable for all ages as it contains no concerning content. It's a brief, gentle look at historical family footage that may interest children curious about the past or family history. The silent nature of the film makes it accessible even for young viewers.
Parent chat guide
Parent follow-up questions
- Did you see any children in the old movies?
- What colors did you see in the film?
- Did the people look happy?
- How do you think life was different in the 1940s-1960s?
- Why do you think the filmmaker wanted to share these family movies?
- What would you put in a movie about our family?
- What can we learn about history from personal family footage?
- How does technology change how we preserve memories today versus in the 1940s?
- Why might silent footage sometimes tell a stronger story than narrated films?
- How does this documentary use personal archives to explore family history?
- What ethical considerations exist when using family footage in public documentaries?
- How does the lack of narration affect your interpretation of the footage?
Where to watch
Streaming availability has not been announced yet.
