Making the most of an interesting and unique topic, “Doppelgängers³” is a different kind of documentary. This dizzying, head-spinning journey into the realms of imagination, innovation, and existential exploration comes to a wonderfully strange fruition at the hands of writer / director Ben Hayoun- Stépanian.
Trying to succinctly summarize the plot of this avant-garde story isn’t easy, but the film draws on the experience of diasporas to challenge the commercialization of the moon. Hayoun-Stépanian’s inventive film includes meetings with scientists, inventors, and assorted visionaries, all told through encounters with her doppelgängers. The film offers an experimental vision and template for a future beyond Earth, ending in a space mission inside a Spanish cave.
Yeah, this is one weird movie.
From the outset, the documentary bombards the senses with its brash soundtrack (featuring music by Pussy Riot, Colin Self, and others) and in-your-face style, which will leave you as exhilarated as it will disoriented. There is a lot to process here, as the film challenges audiences to embrace the unconventional.
The titular doppelgängers are eccentric women, but they’re the type of people you like spending time with. Their idiosyncrasies and quirks perfectly complement the material, combining to add depth and richness to the film’s tapestry.
“Doppelgängers³” is a nearly unclassifiable film about challenging the status quo, a documentary that provides a sensory experience in its celebration of all things visionary. Call them crazy, call them dreamers, call them loopy innovators, but the subjects certainly make for an interesting movie.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 