“Doppelgänger. Double” by Jan Holobek to open the 48th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia

“Doppelgänger. Double” by Jan Holobek is a psychological thriller based on a true Hollywood story, a true story about “James Bond in the Communist era”. It is an international production, widely realized, with the participation of excellent Polish actors, as well as foreign stars from Germany and France.

Holoubek takes us back to the turn of the 1970s and 1980s, focusing on two protagonists (played by Jacob Gerzau and Thomas Schuchart), one of whom has stolen the identity of the other. It is also a poignant story about how the world of high politics affects the lives of ordinary people.

Jan Holubek’s first feature film of 2020, “25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda” was honored in Gdynia for Best Debut and for the Leading Male Role. The industry has also awarded the film as many as 7 Polish Film Awards – The Eagles, including Best Direction and “Discovery of the Year” by Jan Holubek.

Although the creators of “The Double …” describe their picture as a psychological drama, we are also dealing, perhaps above all, with spy cinema.

The events of the film take place on both sides of the Iron Curtain. The first of the characters – Hans Steiner (Jakob Gerza) lives in bustling Strasbourg, taking advantage of the opportunities offered to him by the West. He integrates with the local community while carrying out his espionage activities. Jan Bittner II (Tomasz Schuchart) lives with his family in Gdansk. He works at the shipyard and is active in solidarity. Apparently, these two men have nothing in common. However, over time, we find out that they are closely related, although for a long time they did not even know about each other’s existence. In the end, both of them will face the question of their identity.

– There are two spies. Some simply work under their own names, serving in embassies, for example as consuls. The Doppelgänger method is much rarer and more dangerous, as the film’s director, Jan Holubek, explains. – These are people who work undercover, with variable, usually stolen personal details – so that they blend in with the environment. In the era of the Iron Curtain, they worked on both sides of it. It was a risky business – if caught, they would face severe consequences – including death sentences – says the manager.

In the background of the main plot, the “great story” of the beginning of the decade takes place – the events of August 1980, the dark years of martial law and finally the time of transformation.

The screenplay for the film was written by Andrzej Gołda (in collaboration with the director), author of, among others, the script for Holoubek’s previous film “25 Years of Innocence…” and “Pan T.” Directed by Marcin Krzysztalowicz. or “March 68” by Krzysztof Lang.

In addition to the main actors Jacob Gerzau and Thomas Schuchardt, the film will feature, among others: Victoria Gorodeka, Katarzyna Herrmann and Andrei Ciorin, as well as foreign stars – Emily Koch, Joachim Raff, Natalie Richard and Jessica McIntyre.

The film was shot in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Gdynia, Gdańsk, Sopot, Bydgoszcz and Toro. Their author is Bartłomiej Kaczmarek. Music was written by Jan Komar, website designer Marek Warszewski. The production is funded by the Polish Film Institute.

The film will be shown on September 29, a week after the end of the 48th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia.