Cairo Time: A Sunlit Reverie on the Banks of the Nile

Ah, “Cairo Time” – where do I even start? Okay, picture this: Patricia Clarkson in the lead role as Juliette, and Alexander Siddig as Tareq, immersed in the sultry, bustling aura of Cairo. It’s like a lazy afternoon fika, but under the sweltering Egyptian sun rather than the cozy glow of a Swedish café. Directed by Ruba Nadda, this film kinda sneaks up on you, you know? Like how spring finally arrives in Sweden after months of grey.

Clarkson’s Juliette—oh my!—her elegance is only matched by the majestic pyramids looming in the distance. She’s supposed to meet her husband, but he’s busy, leaving her with Tareq. And isn’t it just my luck – sometimes I wonder if I’ve been stood up by destiny too. Tareq, played by Siddig with such warmth, feels like that unexpected kindred spirit on a Södermalm tram. Their chemistry is subtle, barely a whisper in the noise of the city, but it’s oh so there.

The film’s pace? It’s slow, but in a good way. Kind of like a Swedish summer on the archipelago; nothing happens, yet everything does. The director, Ruba Nadda, seems to relish in those quiet moments. Sometimes I think, maybe she’s onto something – capturing the unsaid, the unseen. But then again, is there too much left hanging in the desert breeze? I dunno.

Listen, the city itself is a character, vibrant and chaotic. It reminds me of this time I got lost in Gamla Stan after a film fest. It’s disorienting, but also freeing. That’s Cairo for Juliette, and maybe for us viewers too?

Now let’s talk themes. Connections, the missed ones and those we fear to make, right? It’s like that moment when you hesitate at the brink of something unknown, wondering if it’s worth the leap. And not to wax too poetic, but I think you really get pulled into that headspace. The sun wrapping everything in a golden haze doesn’t hurt, either.

Overall, “Cairo Time” is like sipping on a bittersweet cocktail – equal parts longing and fulfillment. And like a Svenska flag swaying in the wind, it makes you reflect—on love, on chance encounters

Check the trailer below