Nature and nurture, or, rather, nurture versus nature, is the fundamental focus of the fascinating film THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS.
Three strangers are reunited by astonishing coincidence after being born identical triplets, separated at birth, and adopted by three different families. Their jaw-dropping, feel-good story instantly becomes a global sensation complete with fame and celebrity, however, the fairy-tale reunion sets in motion a series of events that unearth an unimaginable secret –– a secret with radical repercussions for us all.
The film begins with an effusive and ebullient Bobby Shafran, still seemingly in a state of shock after near forty years telling a story straight to camera. It is a compelling monologue of how, on his first day on campus, total strangers spoke, hugged and kissed him, addressing him as Eddy.
Traversing this twilight zone of mistaken identity, Bobby and Eddy meet, reuniting as twins separated after nineteen years. But the twilight zone moves into the outer limits when it is discovered that boys have another sibling, David, and that they are triplets rather than twins.
Such an amazing story generated a media storm and the trio became overnight celebrities, even securing roles in Hollywood studio pictures. But like all fairy tales, there is a darker side.
Turns out the triplets were separated by a ritzy New York City adoption agency, Louise Wise Services, which declined to tell their adoptive parents they were a set of three. Unbeknownst to the families, they were to be part of a bizarre and nefarious research conducted by psychoanalyst Peter Neubauer – study of siblings separated at birth.
The study has the unsavoury whiff of eugenics and is cloaked even now in secrecy and conspiracy.
These three, along with others, comprise a stolen generation of multiple birth siblings that have major individual psychological repercussions and wider social concerns.
Winner of Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award, THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS, has already enjoyed a successful season at the Hayden Orpheum and is now ready to do the same at the Palace Verona, Paddington.
A follow up film, THE TWINNING REACTION, will screen at the Jewish International Film Festival later this month.