When author James Miller (William Shimell) launches his new book in Italy, Elle (Juliette Binoche) attends the press conference with her young son (Adrian Moore). She extends an invitation to James, who comes to her art gallery and their conversation touches on many things, including the intrinsic value of copies as opposed to the original. They spend the day together and she takes him to a small village in Tuscany, where different aspects of their relationship come to light.