Kieslowski takes a simple idea – the notion that each one of us has an identical twin somewhere in the world – and fashions a haunting and poetic tale of seemingly endless profundity about it.  The film appears to have the simplicity of a children’s fairy tale, yet, if you look closer, layers and layers of detail become apparent. 

The amber-drenched photography, the sweeping camera movements and the recurring symbols (for example, the pedestrian crossing) all serve to give the impression that we are experiencing a dream, or, at least, we are looking at reality through a distorting prism.  Because it feels like a dream, there is no need to explain what we see – indeed any attempt and trying to make sense of the narrative would be a futile exercise. 

Like much of Kieslowski’s work, La Double vie de Véronique is less about telling a story than providing an experience.  Somewhere between ghost story and a traditional romance, the film manages to latch onto the spectator’s senses without feeling the need to justify itself.  At one level, it is a magnificent abstract work of art; at another, it is a captivating piece of cinema which will leave an indelible impression on anyone who watches it.