The Blue Caftan
Refined psychosexual chamber play by Maryam Touzani (Adam) about a couple with a traditional clothing business in an old Moroccan medina.
In one of Morocco’s oldest medinas, in the city of Salé, Mina manages discerning customers while her tailor husband Halim works diligently in silence only a few feet away. Most days Halim can be found carefully crafting traditional caftans with detailed embroidery, committing historical significance to each enduring stitch and preferring to take all the time necessary to achieve his age-old standards of perfection.
When the demand for Halim’s skill exceeds his personal capacity, he reluctantly accepts the help of Youssef, a soft-spoken young apprentice. The eager Youssef wants to learn everything he can from his new mentor, paying close attention to each lesson in the maalem tradition and Halim’s delicate mode of instruction. It is not long, however, before the couturier’s careful attentions to craft drift to meet Youssef’s longing gaze – while Mina watches.
With her second feature, writer and director Maryam Touzani asserts her expertise in developing characters and capturing performances that redefine for film the measure of intimacy and tenderness in human relationships. Veterans Bakri and Azabal leave no emotion unturned, with newcomer Missioui providing an unforgettable debut. THE BLUE CAFTAN is a story of unparalleled adoration, one centred on laughter and longing over the popular expectations of love.