Juliette Binoche plays an antiques dealer in Tuscany; she attends a talk by a British writer which addresses issues of authenticity in the art world – why do we ascribe such value to original works when they are indistinguishable from counterfeits? – a question that underpins much of what is to follow in Kiarostami’s intriguing puzzle that provocatively blurs the line between reality and imagination. The two later meet and she drives him to a nearby village; along the way they begin to playfully assume the roles of a long-married couple to an extent that forces the audience to reconsider the nature of what has come before.

The screening will be introduced by filmmaker Dean Kavanagh.

Notes by David O’Mahony