- Written and directed by Ruba Nadda
- Starring Patricia Clarkson, Alexander Siddig, Elena Anaya & Tom McCamus
- Runtime: 90 mins
- Classification: M
THE Irish-Canadian co-production Cairo Time, about an American woman visiting her husband a United Nations official working in Gaza, for a holiday in the Egypt could be described as a romantic triangle that makes no sound. A romance so subtle you can’t hear the music, but you knew it was playing, never the less.
Syrian-Canadian writer/director Ruba Nadda’s story captures the magic, turmoil and history of Cairo, a city where the ancient meets the modern on the banks of the world’s longest river. A story of a man, a woman and Cairo, while the man and the woman are the story, Cairo is the picture, with only the best of it is on display. A story of repressed unconsummated love of both the people and the city. The kind which comes along unexpectedly, and has to be caught and experience before it flies away. A joy that sits in the “what if” memory section of the mind, and which will remain there for ever. The films runtime and pace hardly gives you time to fully appreciate its depth and beauty.
While the character of Cairo is bold and loud, and easily cast. The human characters needed careful casting, Patricia Clarkson, one of America’s most least celebrated and highly acclaimed actresses, finally gets a leading lady role, something denied her for far too long, and gives an Oscar wining performance. Sudanese born British actor Alexander Siddig, who is well known for his minor roles in a lot of British television, is a real screen discovery, and no doubt we will see much more of him.
Juliette (Patricia Clarkson), a fashion magazine editor in her 50s, arrives in Cairo to spend a short holiday in Egypt with her husband Mark (Tom McCamus), a United Nations official working in the area. Expecting him to meet her at the airport, she’s surprised he’s had to ask a one time colleague of his, Tareq (Alexander Siddig) to meet her. Mark is stuck in Gaza and is hoping to get back to Cairo as soon as a crisis in Gaza is over, allowing him to return.
The tall and handsome Tareq now runs a coffee shop in Cairo, and at the airport he runs into Kathryn (Elena Anaya) the mother of the love of Tareq’s life, who is soon to wed to another man. At her hotel overlooking the river Nile Juliette looks down on the bustling city. On her first night Mark phones to say it is going to be some time before his will be able to get back from Gaza, but he will back as soon as he can. Bored stiff Juliette ventures into the crowded streets of Cairo for a look around, but is confronted by the local culture of men who are fascinated by blonde women, especially one on her own. Juliette has to duck into a shoe shop to escape a mass of staring eyes. Hurriedly she finds the card Tareq gave her in case she needed any assistance, and finds her way to his coffee shop.
A bus ride to Gaza to see Mark ends at the border, when Israeli soldiers deny her entry, and Tareq is called to collect her. After attending a function with Tareq to which they where both invited to by Kathryn, Tareq takes Juliette to meet the once time love of his life Yasmeen, in the desert country outside Cairo. Yasmeen invites them both to her wedding in Alexandria. Next day Tareq takes Juliette on a boat trip down the Nile and she begins to relax and find she’s falling in love with him. At the end of the day returning to her hotel Juliette thinks about inviting Tareq up to her room, but there’s a phone call waiting for her, and she leaves at the lift and takes Mark’s call. Although Juliette has told Mark she will leave a tour of the pyramids till he gets back to Cairo. Juliette and Tareq are soon climbing a pyramid.
After returning from Yasmeen’s wedding in Alexandria, Juliette again thinks again about inviting Tareq up to her room, but no. Mark has phoned, he will be back tomorrow and their first stop will be the pyramids. As Juliette leaves Tareq standing outside the lift, she tells him how she will never forget their Cairo time together.
