Patricia Clarkson opens up about living in 'Cairo Time'

Patricia Clarkson at the Apple store Q&A for "Cairo Time" in New York City

Patricia Clarkson had one of the most memorable experiences of her filming on location in Egypt’s most famous city for her movie "Cairo Time." In the drama, Clarkson plays Juliette Grant, an American magazine editor who is Cairo to meet her husband, Mark (played by Tom McCamus), a United Nations official. When Mark gets too busy with work to meet Juliette right away, sends an old friend, a security officer named Tareq Khalifa (played by Alexander Siddig), to look after Juliette and show her around Cairo.

Juliette and Tareq start to develop romantic feelings for each other as they spend more time together. Their love story is all the more poignant because before she met Tareq, Juliette considered herself to be a happily married woman with a comfortable life. Her relationship with Tareq makes her question her feelings about herself and her marriage.

"Cairo Time" had its world premiere at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, where "Cairo Time" won the award for best Canadian feature. In April 2010, "Cairo Time" had its U.S. premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. The day before the film’s Tribeca Film Festival premiere, Clarkson participated in a public question-and-answer session at the Apple retail store in New York City’s Soho neighborhood as part of the store’s "Meet the Filmmaker" series. Here is what Clarkson said when she answered questions from a moderator.

"Cairo Time" writer/director Ruba Nadda, Alexander Siddig and Patricia Clarkson at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of "Cairo Time" in New York City

What attracted you to "Cairo Time"?

This script clearly stood out. I was sent the script in a normal fashion, [through] my agent. I actually have a terrific agent. And he said, "You know, there’s this beautiful script that I’m going to send you. I think you’re going to like it." And then he said, "I think you’re going to love it." And he was right. I read it that night. I think I called him at home that night, and I said, "You’re right. This is so elegant, so spare. It’s so distilled and eloquent and powerful, and I would be over the moon to be a part of this."

And I do a lot of crazy stuff. I do a lot of characters and a lot of very large, extreme women in my career. And so sometimes actually doing the simplest of women, the simplest of characters are sometimes the most challenging. And I really welcomed that challenge. And then Ruba [Nadda, the writer/director of "Cairo Time"] flew to New York. We met down the street in a little café. I thought, "Oh, we’ll probably talk for 30, 40 minutes, whatever." Three hours later, we were going to Cairo. [She laughs.]

Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig in "Cairo Time"

What was it like filming in Cairo?

I spent many days placating the [Egyptian] censor. "Hello! How are you? Let’s go sit over here and have some tea." But it’s astonishing. She [the censor] was actually a very lovely woman, but she was very much there as the censor. But we shouldn’t dwell on that. There was a lot we accomplished in this film. Ruba talked her way into places. We actually shot on the pyramids.

It’s so funny because people ask me, "Did you see the pyramids when you were in Cairo?" Did I see the pyramids? I sat my butt on a pyramid! You can’t miss them. As you wake up, "Oh, pyramid!" As you’re brushing your teeth, "Oh, pyramid!" They’re everywhere. They’re inescapable. What’s beautiful about this film is that it isn’t CGI’ed. Everything is real. Everything is true. Every place we went is truly the place in the film, including that very famous café that no one has ever shot [a film] in — and they let Ruba.

There was a particular restaurant that we went to, and it really was like a barge on the Nile. And we’d shoot these crazy days with the cacophony of Cairo humming in our ears. We would go sit out on this barge as the sun was setting, just exhausted, depleted. We’d have great, great Egyptian wine that was very cheap. We’d sit out on this barge, and the sun would set, and those beautiful party boats would come and remind me — I’m New Orleanian — of Mardi Gras on the water. It was life and art. I thought, "I might not ever leave."

Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig in "Cairo Time"

Can you talk about the scene with Juliette and Tareq on the boat?

She says, "I don’t swim." I do [in real life] It’s the sport I know how to do. It’s the only thing I’m good at. I’m an excellent swimmer. Remember that when you see the film. My character doesn’t swim. I’m a synchronized swimmer. I’m just putting that in there.

Juliette is followed by men who are strangers while she’s walking by herself on the streets of Cairo. Did that happen to you in real life?

You have to be a little careful in the streets in Cairo, as a woman walking alone. And you have to be careful of the length of your skirt. You can be followed easily by quite a few men who will gather and follow you. That very scene pretty much happened to me. Before we started shooting ["Cairo Time"], I went out on the street. A very lovely man started to follow me, and that’s the scene in the film. It was interesting, but it was just part of the adventure of Cairo.

Alexander Siddig and Patricia Clarkson in "Cairo Time"

What can you say about the first time that Tareq and Juliette kiss?

It’s true, it’s real, it’s in real time. It’s not an edited moment. It’s a genuine moment in the film. But you know, that’s the beauty of Ruba’s filmmaking. The film is loaded with incredibly real, seductive, sensual moments that honor your intelligence. This is a sophisticated film, but it’s not an elitist film. And that’s, I think, a very difficult line to walk. And I think great filmmakers make films that people can genuinely respond to, with emotion and intellect. I’m so proud to be a part of this film.

Women who are over the age of 45 usually don’t get cast as the central character in a movie. Can you talk about what "Cairo Time" meant to you, in terms of breaking that female age barrier? And did you find it intimidating to have to carry "Cairo Time" as the main star, considering that you usually have supporting roles?

To me, it was very surprising to read a script where a woman carried a film — especially a woman north of 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 … I think acting is always intimidating, and I think if it doesn’t inspire love and fear and hate and lust — all of the levels of emotion … Yes, it was intimidating and daunting. I had Alexander and Ruba, so it was actually much easier than I anticipated.

Did you and Alexander Siddig know each other before you worked together on "Cairo Time"?

No. We didn’t even meet before the film. We met in Cairo four days before shooting. And I kind of had that moment of … walking out of the elevator, standing there waiting. We met in the lobby of the hotel. You walk out, and you’re like, "Oh, hello! Ruba, I love you [for casting him]!" [She laughs.]