Kiarostami's Certified Copy begins shooting in Italy (ScreenDaily)

MK2 has announced the start of production on the latest film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Certified Copy begins shooting on June 8 in Cortona, Lucignano and Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy. It is the veteran director’s first feature to be shot outside of his native Iran.

The film stars Juliette Binoche, who previously worked with Kiarostami on 2008’s Shirin. UK actor William Shimell, who is best known for his work as an opera singer, will make his feature debut.

The film tells the story of a British author who travels to Italy to hold a conference on the relationship between originals and copies in the art world. During the conference he meets a French art gallery owner, who jokingly pretends that he is often absent husband. The author plays along but the innocent charade becomes a dangerous game as the lines between reality and make-believe blur.

Certified Copy marks the ten-year anniversary of Kiarostami and producer Marin Karmitz. The duo began working together in 1999 with The Wind Will Carry Us.

Copy is an MK2 production in co-production with Bibi Films and France 3 Cinema with support from Canal Plus and the CNC.