The Imposter is a documentary film that tells the strange and unsettling story of the disappearance and reappearance of 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay. The film utilizes interviews with family members, law enforcement officials, and the man who claimed to be Nicholas in order to recreate the events leading up to his disappearance and subsequent discovery in Spain.
The film introduces viewers to Frédéric Bourdin, a middle-aged man with a history of impersonating missing children. Bourdin explains how he assumed Nicholas's identity, perpetrating an elaborate scheme that fooled Nicholas's grieving family and even the FBI.
The documentary raises questions about memory, identity, and the reliability of eyewitness testimony. It also explores the lengths that people will go to in order to believe the unbelievable.
The Imposter received critical acclaim upon its release and has been praised for its innovative storytelling and slick visual style. The film was directed by Bart Layton and premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.