Doppelgänger. The Double

Doppelgänger. The Double (Polish: Doppelgänger. Sobowtór), directed by Jan Holoubek, is a gripping Cold War thriller about identity, loyalty, and deception.

Set in the 1970s, it follows Jan Bitner, a Polish shipyard worker in Gdańsk resisting the Communist regime, and Hans Steiner, a man living in Strasbourg leading a quiet life — only to discover a hidden connection between them.

Hans is revealed to be Józef Wieczorek, a spy who has assumed a false identity to infiltrate networks and keep tabs on citizens critical of the state.

Jan, meanwhile, uncovers that his own identity and family history are entangled with Hans’s lies — pushing him toward radical action.

Featuring Jakub Gierszał (as Józef/Hans) and Tomasz Schuchardt (as Jan Bitner), the film premiered at the Gdynia Film Festival in September 2023, earning Best Director and awards for cinematography and supporting roles.

Through moody visuals, layered intrigue, and moral ambiguity, Doppelgänger. The Double explores how political power, betrayal, and identity shape human lives amid repression and surveillance.