Cairo is the setting for a languid romance that is a throwback to another era.

Cairo Time won the Best Canadian Film prize at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009.

Montreal-born director Ruba Nadda presents a film that is set in the Middle East, but is devoid of the usual tension and violence often associated with this region.

The film centers on Juliette (Patricia Clarkson), a Canadian magazine editor who arrives in Cairo to meet her diplomat husband, Mark (Tom McCamus), for a vacation.

When her husband's work keeps him from meeting her, he sends a friend and former colleague, Tareq (Alexander Siddig), to show her around.

Out of her element, Juliette is appreciative of Tareq's company and finds herself drawn to his old world charm.

The heart of the story is about a middle-aged woman's search for herself after her children have left the house and she is experiencing loneliness and seeks a new direction in her life.

Waiting for her husband to join her, the loneliness and alienation she is feeling in her marriage is reflected in this strange and exotic city.

A beautifully acted and photographed story of two people trying very hard not to fall in love, the main characters bring untold layers of emotion to a very simple story.

Director Nadda has crafted a story that shows that not all love affairs are based on sex.

This is one of emotion and quiet respect.

The city of Cairo is as much a character here as the people involved.

The Nile, the pyramids, the hookah bars and bustling markets all play significant roles within the film.

The end result is a low-key movie that lingers in one's mind long after the end credits have rolled.

The Nicola Valley Film Society presents Cairo Time at the Merritt Civic Centre at 7:30 p.m., March 8.

The movie is in English.