Escaping Twin Flames: Cecilia Peck and Inbal Lessner

How do you tell the story of people a cult taught to stop trusting themselves, without hurting them again?

That was the question at the heart of Escaping Twin Flames, the three-part Netflix series about Twin Flames Universe, an online group that sold itself as a relationship coaching school for people looking for their true love. As director Cecilia Peck explains, it looked welcoming and fun at first. The series shows how it turned into a controlling group that cut people off from their friends and families.

In Episode 231, Christian sits down with Cecilia and her filmmaking partner of more than 15 years, Emmy-nominated editor and producer Inbal B. Lessner. Their partnership started as "a mutual admiration society," and their first film together, Brave Miss World, took five years and was picked up by Netflix in rough cut. After Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, survivors of other groups began writing to them, and Twin Flames Universe was the story that felt most urgent. They spent about two years with survivors before they pitched it.

Cecilia talks about the ethics of filming people who have been traumatized, and Inbal talks about making them "not just our subjects, but our partners." She also explains why she believes most documentary editors deserve a writing credit, how a team of editors worked through more than a thousand hours of video from inside the group, and how she and Cecilia work together. "She's the dreamer and I'm the realist," Inbal says. They also share the advice their shared mentor, Barbara Kopple, gave them both.

WATCH THE FILM: Escaping Twin Flames streams on Netflix.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Cecilia and Inbal found each other and kept working together
• How an outreach website led them to the Twin Flames story
• What Netflix wanted to see before it gave the series a green light
• How they protected survivors who told hard truths on camera
• What you give up when a streamer owns your film
• Why Inbal thinks documentary editors deserve writing credits
• How three editors each took one survivor's story arc
• What makes a documentary series well edited
• Why Barbara Kopple tells new filmmakers to learn sound or editing

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Escaping Twin Flames about?

Escaping Twin Flames is a three-part Netflix documentary series, released November 8, 2023, and directed by Cecilia Peck. It follows former members of Twin Flames Universe, an online group led by a married couple, Jeff and Shaleia Divine, that promised to unite people with their "twin flame." Cecilia says the series breaks down how a group that seemed welcoming became controlling, separating people from their friends and families.

How do you pitch a documentary series to Netflix?

Inbal B. Lessner says you need a strong proof of concept: a deck featuring the survivors willing to go on camera, the evidence you've gathered, and a sizzle reel. To get the green light, they also wrote a scene-by-scene outline and a production plan. "I think access is number one," she says. They partnered with Good Caper, pitched almost every streamer, got several offers and chose Netflix.

Should documentary editors get a writing credit?

Inbal B. Lessner believes most documentary editors should. She explains that editors select moments, sentences and sometimes single words, try dozens of orders, and build each character's arc from beginning to end. Christian agrees, and shares that she gave her own editor a writing credit on her documentary because he took such a large part in creating the film.

How many editors worked on Escaping Twin Flames?

Inbal says three editors worked on the three episodes at the same time because of a compressed schedule, with Inbal helping too. Instead of giving each editor one episode, each person took one survivor's story arc from beginning to end, and then they wove the arcs together. A fifth editor, Troy Takaki, joined for finishing. There were more than a thousand hours of video from inside the group alone.

Can a documentary lead to a criminal investigation?

Cecilia and Inbal say it can help. In the NXIVM case, they say, prosecutor Moira Penza's investigation began after a New York Times story, and public pressure from the shows that followed helped lead to an unprecedented 120-year sentence for leader Keith Raniere. With Escaping Twin Flames, the team made sure their reporting was fact-checked by layers of lawyers, so the case would be ready for law enforcement.

DOCUVIEW DEJA VIEW PICKS

• Fire of Love (2022), directed by Sara Dosa. Inbal's pick, about French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. She saw it on an IMAX screen and says she could have watched three hours of it.
• Harlan County, USA (1976), directed by Barbara Kopple. Cecilia's pick, about striking coal miners in Kentucky. She calls it essential viewing for any documentary filmmaker.

See every guest pick on the DocuView Deja View page.

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ABOUT THE GUESTS

Cecilia Peck focuses on women's stories and trauma-informed filmmaking. She directed, executive produced and co-showran Escaping Twin Flames (Netflix, 2023), and directed, wrote and co-showran Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult (Starz, 2020). She directed and produced Brave Miss World (Emmy nomination) and the Academy Award shortlisted Shut Up & Sing, and produced A Conversation With Gregory Peck, about her father. Cecilia's bio

Inbal B. Lessner, ACE is an Emmy-nominated, Eddie-winning producer and editor. She co-created Seduced and Escaping Twin Flames with Cecilia, and won the 2024 ACE Eddie for Best Edited Documentary (Non-Theatrical) for Escaping Twin Flames. Its third episode, "Up in Flames," was nominated for the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming. She also edited Stormy and episodes of CNN's The Nineties and The Movies, and teaches at the AFI Conservatory. Inbal's bio

ABOUT DOCUMENTARY FIRST

Documentary First is a weekly podcast about the people behind documentaries and how the work changed them. Host Christian Taylor, director of the award-winning The Girl Who Wore Freedom, talks with filmmakers, distributors, entertainment lawyers, actors and more, from Ken Burns and PBS American Masters creator Susan Lacy to first-timers, across nearly 300 conversations. Each week brings one of two formats: a long-form conversation with the people behind films for HBO, Netflix, PBS and independent film, or The Deep Dive, where Christian takes one insight from a recent conversation and follows it wherever it leads. Listen Notes ranks the show in the top 5% of all podcasts worldwide. New episodes every week.