THE 'AGE' OF INNOCENCE

He has directed such difficult stars as Kim Basinger, Sean Penn, and the members of U2. But now filmmaker Phil Joanou (Final Analysis, State of Grace, Rattle and Hum) is dealing with some really unruly characters: The 19 soon-to- be-famous 7-year-olds featured in Age Seven in America (airing Sept. 4, 9-10 p.m. on CBS; see review on page 61), the first in a four-part documentary series (based on Britain's 7 Up) that will check in on the kids' lives every seven years. With a commitment to direct the three Age Seven sequels, Joanou, 30, will have a steady gig until 2011. His youth was a factor in his getting the job: ''I got a phone call from Michael Apted (director of 7 Up and producer of Age Seven), who said he needed somebody who'd still be around in 20 years,'' Joanou says, sitting on a sofa in his downtown Manhattan loft. ''I accepted on the spot.'' Joanou and his crew screened more than 800 children (culled from elementary school casting calls), looking for just the right mix of economic, geographic, and social backgrounds, then spent 20 days filming the selected 19 at home and in school. ''The spirit of these kids made me optimistic,'' Joanou says. ''But the contrasts in their backgrounds, the differences in their opportunities, are shocking. I'm glad this is coming out in an election year. You hear politicians talk about making the country better 'for our children.' Well, here they are-the children. You have to wonder what kind of future some of them will have.''