Synopsis
Certified Copy follows a French woman and a British author whose casual meeting in Tuscany gradually shifts into something deeper and more ambiguous. Director Abbas Kiarostami masterfully blurs the line between performance and reality, as the two strangers begin behaving as if they are a long-married couple. The film is a philosophical meditation on authenticity, love, and whether a copy of something can hold the same value as the original.
Why Watch It
A playful meditation on authenticity and performance that unfolds like a magic trick—Kiarostami blurs the line between actor and character, real and imagined, until you're unsure what you're watching. Two compelling performances anchor a film that asks whether a perfect copy of something real might be just as meaningful as the original. Elegant, enigmatic, and endlessly rewarding.
Did You Know?
- Juliette Binoche won Best Actress at Cannes 2010 for this role.
- Abbas Kiarostami's first film shot entirely outside Iran.
- William Shimell was an opera baritone making his film debut.
- The film was shot in Tuscany, Italy, in real locations.
- Kiarostami wrote the script specifically with Juliette Binoche in mind.
Iconic Quotes
- A copy is just as good as the original, as long as it's convincing.
- Maybe that's what we should do. Accept each other as we are.
- Every woman wants to be looked at. To be desired.
- The original is never perfect. That's why we need copies.
- We have spent so many years together and what remains? Just arguments.
