The documentary DOPPELGÄNGERS: Face to Face premieres Wednesday, October 18 on CBC

A must-watch: The documentary DOPPELGÄNGERS: Face to Face premieres Wednesday, October 18 on CBC Gem and CBC TV at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) 

DOPPELGÄNGERS: Face to Face, commissioned by CBC’s The Passionate Eye, examines the curious phenomenon of identical strangers and our desire to meet ourselves. 

DOPPELGÄNGERS: Face to Face investigates today’s preoccupation with the power and importance of identity through the journeys of a diverse and exceptional group of individuals all hunting for their “twin stranger.”

The documentary follows six unique characters with strong individualistic personalities, interesting passions, and unique life stories as they embark on an adventure to meet their “second self.” Nathaniël and Edward, Sheena and Desirée, and Kiki and Elaine are about to come face to face with their unrelated lookalike and confront not only their reflection but also their deepest desires for human connection. DOPPELGÄNGERS: Face to Face premieres on CBC’s The Passionate Eye, Wednesday, October 18 on CBC Gem and CBC TV at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT).

It used to be that seeing one’s doppelgänger was a very bad omen. But today, worldwide, millions of people are actively looking for their unrelated twin. They are joining websites and posting selfies, scouring the walls of museums, and using facial recognition software all in the hopes of finding their double. What is behind this? Are we searching for something that is more than skin deep? Does our stranger-twin offer a view of the life we could have led? Or is it that we wonder what others see when they look our way? We are all about to find out. 

DOPPELGÄNGERS: Face to Face examines the curious phenomenon of identical strangers and our desire to meet ourselves. 

From Writer/Director Deborah Wainwright: In 2022, a study about unrelated “twins” was published in the academic journal Cell Reports. Media outlets worldwide wrote about it, news networks covered it, and it was in everyone’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. One of the authors was even interviewed in-studio on CNN. Why? The doppelgänger phenomenon isn’t new. What about the idea that each of us has someone (possibly many “someones”) somewhere on the planet who looks just like us, that sent our imaginations soaring right now? I decided this was worthy of a deeper investigation.

There are more than 10 million “doppelgänger seekers” registered to various online “find your doppelgänger” sites and although they generally say they’re looking for their stranger twin “as a lark” when you dig a little deeper some very personal reasons come to light. According to Dr. Adam Golub, an American Studies professor at California State University Fullerton, our interest in doppelgängers tends to peak during times of division in the body politic, at periods when technology (especially technology of duplication) has us a little fearful, and when we are struggling with issues of identity. Sound familiar?

Indeed, themes of identity, belonging, and human connection became quickly evident as we got to know our stranger twins. They expressed the desire to find someone who represents the sibling they never had or whom they had lost. Someone who provided that feeling of being connected as a family. Someone who understands them and may have experienced what they have experienced simply because they resemble one another. And they found similarities and connections that went well beyond their physical attributes. It was both hilarious and heartwarming to watch. 

LAKE TIDE MEDIA INC. is a partnership of industry veterans Deborah Wainwright and Laurie Case and a proud Canadian West Coast production company. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager of Entertainment, Factual, and Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director of Unscripted Content; Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director of Documentary; and Michelle McCree is Executive in Charge of Production, CBC Docs and The Passionate Eye.

Producer Laurie Case is from Vernon, BC, and Writer/Director Deborah Wainwright from the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver and Edward (Doppelgänger participant) based in Montreal, Quebec are available for interviews.

For more information, photos, and interviews please contact:

Lesley Diana | lesley@thepromotionpeople.ca | 604-726-5575

Photo credit: Andrés Fernandes

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