Sundance: Doc 'Three Identical Strangers' Sells to Neon

The stranger-than-fiction film emerged as one of the most talked-about docs at the festival following its world premiere on Jan. 19.

Neon has nabbed North American rights to Three Identical Strangers, which has emerged as one of the most talked-about docs at this year's Sundance Film Festival following its world premiere on Jan. 19.

Directed by Tim Wardle, the stranger-than-fiction story follows three complete strangers who make the astounding discovery at age 19 that they are identical triplets separated at birth. The film begins with the trio’s joyous reunion in 1980, which catapults them to fame but also sets in motion a chain of events that unearths an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes far beyond their own lives — a secret that might one day answer a key question at the heart of human behavior.

Wardle's U.K.-based RAW was the production company on the doc. RAW’s Becky Read and Grace Hughes-Hallett produced along with CNN Films in association with Channel 4. Dimitri Doganis, Amy Entelis, Courtney Sexton, Sara Ramsden, Adam Hawkins and Tom Barry executive produced.

Three Identical Strangers marks the third theatrical acquisition of the festival for Neon, following its deals for Assassination Nation and Monsters and Men.

CNN Films already has U.S. TV rights to Three Identical Strangers, which was part of the network's slate of films debuting at Sundance, including the Ruth Bader Ginsburg doc RBG.

The deal was negotiated by Josh Braun of Submarine and Stacey Wolf, vp business affairs for CNN Worldwide, along with Matt Burke and Ben Braun of Submarine and Kelly MacLanahan, CNN Worldwide senior counsel.