Synopsis
an American woman (played with grace and sensitivity by Patricia Clarkson) to the sands of the Middle East in an unconventional romance. As Juliette, the wife of a United Nations diplomat stationed in Gaza, she arrives in Cairo to rendezvous with her husband on a planned holiday. Detained, Mark sends his friend and former security officer Tareq to meet her at the airport.
The heat and noise, crowds and chaos of the city are nearly overwhelming, as palpable as a character in the film. Tareq escorts Juliette to the luxury hotel where she is to meet her husband, and lets her know where she can reach him if she needs assistance. Alone in her duplex accommodations, she opens the door to her terrace and looks down to the Nile below. The call to prayers underscores that she is far from home, and alone.
Phone communication with her husband is difficult. Mark informs her that he can’t meet her as soon as expected – nor can he give her a definite arrival date. Back in the states, Juliette is a busy magazine editor. Here, she is relegated to simply waiting and her life slows to Cairo time. Striking out on her own to explore the city, forty something Juliette is thronged by un welcome attention from men young enough to be her son. She seeks refuge in the café that Tareq owns. The two slowly become friends.
This romance is largely played out on another level. Despite the lack of physical contact between the couple, Juliette undergoes a spiritual awakening and connects with her emotional longings for the first time in eons. Subtle, yes, but oh so powerful all the same. Credit director Nadda for capturing the richness of Cairo and for giving her actors free rein to express feelings. She has a delicate touch, but she achieves what she set out to do.
Hard to believe he’s the same dude who played Dr. Bashir in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is all class as the ever genial, sensitive tour guide. But if you want to talk acting, Clarkson who has dazzled in everything from Far From Heaven on the big screen to Six Feet Under on the small screen – delivers a near-flawless performance. Her voice barely rises above Cairo’s street traffic, but – whoa! – she emotes with the best of them: a tiny flick of the hand, a shake of her hair, a darting eye movement speak volumes here.
"Cairo Time" takes place in the heart of the city and environs. Memorable scenes include a visit to an all woman gathering in a Bedouin camp, the White Desert in the Sahara, a sailboat ride on the Nile, a journey Juliette and Tareq take to the Pyramids, and an Egyptian wedding complete with bellydancer and ululating guests. A satisfying, fully realized, and mature (in the best sense of the word) film, Cairo Time won "Best Feature Film" at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival. Exotic scenery and beautiful acting make this a love story as enduring as the sands of time.
an American woman (played with grace and sensitivity by Patricia Clarkson) to the sands of the Middle East in an unconventional romance. As Juliette, the wife of a United Nations diplomat stationed in Gaza, she arrives in Cairo to rendezvous with her husband on a planned holiday. Detained, Mark sends his friend and former security officer Tareq to meet her at the airport.
The heat and noise, crowds and chaos of the city are nearly overwhelming, as palpable as a character in the film. Tareq escorts Juliette to the luxury hotel where she is to meet her husband, and lets her know where she can reach him if she needs assistance. Alone in her duplex accommodations, she opens the door to her terrace and looks down to the Nile below. The call to prayers underscores that she is far from home, and alone.
Phone communication with her husband is difficult. Mark informs her that he can’t meet her as soon as expected – nor can he give her a definite arrival date. Back in the states, Juliette is a busy magazine editor. Here, she is relegated to simply waiting and her life slows to Cairo time. Striking out on her own to explore the city, forty something Juliette is thronged by un welcome attention from men young enough to be her son. She seeks refuge in the café that Tareq owns. The two slowly become friends.
This romance is largely played out on another level. Despite the lack of physical contact between the couple, Juliette undergoes a spiritual awakening and connects with her emotional longings for the first time in eons. Subtle, yes, but oh so powerful all the same. Credit director Nadda for capturing the richness of Cairo and for giving her actors free rein to express feelings. She has a delicate touch, but she achieves what she set out to do.
Hard to believe he’s the same dude who played Dr. Bashir in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is all class as the ever genial, sensitive tour guide. But if you want to talk acting, Clarkson who has dazzled in everything from Far From Heaven on the big screen to Six Feet Under on the small screen – delivers a near-flawless performance. Her voice barely rises above Cairo’s street traffic, but – whoa! – she emotes with the best of them: a tiny flick of the hand, a shake of her hair, a darting eye movement speak volumes here.
"Cairo Time" takes place in the heart of the city and environs. Memorable scenes include a visit to an all woman gathering in a Bedouin camp, the White Desert in the Sahara, a sailboat ride on the Nile, a journey Juliette and Tareq take to the Pyramids, and an Egyptian wedding complete with bellydancer and ululating guests. A satisfying, fully realized, and mature (in the best sense of the word) film, Cairo Time won "Best Feature Film" at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival. Exotic scenery and beautiful acting make this a love story as enduring as the sands of time.
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