The Blue Caftan ***** (2022, Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri, Ayoub Missioui) – Classic Movie Review 12,521

The impeccable 2022 Moroccan drama film The Blue Caftan tells the story of Mina and her closeted gay husband Halim, who run a traditional caftan store in Morocco. They decide to hire talented, handsome young Youssef as an apprentice. 

Director Maryam Touzani’s impeccable 2022 Moroccan Arabic-language drama film The Blue Caftan [Le Bleu du caftan] tells the story of Mina and her closeted gay husband Halim, who run a traditional caftan store in the ancient medina of Salé, Morocco. This beautiful, faultless film blends what seem to be uneasy bedfellows of gay love and terminal illness gracefully, and without any sense of strain or difficulty. It sails through its troublesome story without any trouble.

Mina and Halim are quiet, calm, respectful and dignified, even when some of their customers aren’t. They decide to hire Youssef, a talented and handsome young man as an apprentice to keep up with these demanding customers. Though Mina is sceptical, he is a very model of great human being. But then, soon, Mina slowly starts to realise to her surprise, shock even, how much her husband is moved by the young man’s presence.

What she doesn’t know is that her husband is nipping off regularly to the hammam (Turkish bath) for a bit of light relief. Meanwhile, back at the caftan store, Youssef wants to get close to Halim, but Halim pushes him gently away. But then comes the film’s bombshell. Mina is sick, getting increasingly sick, and nothing can be done for her. She has terminal cancer. Both men rally round her, easing her final days, as the truth and truths come out. There is acceptance and peace at last.

The Blue Caftan is a superb film, subtle, warm and beguiling, a total healing experience. There are other actors and characters, but basically it is a three-hander with a cast of three: Lubna Azabal as Mina, Saleh Bakri as Halim, and Ayoub Missioui as Youssef. All three actors are tremendous, though maybe Lubna Azabal has the edge, as her character mellows and becomes more and more attractive, giving this fine actress a grand opportunity. The film really is about her, it turns out, thought there is plenty for the men to do, and they do it really well, and their story is followed diligently too. It is after all their story even if the film really is about Mina. The balance is perfect, and the film has the perfect outcome.

It is written by Maryam Touzani and Nabil Ayouch. It is a love story, but whose love story is it? Mina and Halim’s? Or Halim and Youssef’s? The subtle thing is, the film never tells you, and of course it is both love stories.

The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, and it was chosen to represent Morocco in the 2023 Oscars shortlist in the International Feature Film category.

A hammam or Turkish bath is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world.

Isn’t it weird how things go? You wait years for a film about a Turkish bath, then two come along together: Hamam The Turkish Bath (1997).

The Blue Caftan [Le Bleu du caftan] is directed by Maryam Touzani, is made by Les Films du Nouveau Monde, Ali n’ Productions, Velvet Films and Snowglobe, is distributed by Ad Vitam Distribution (France), is written by Maryam Touzani and Nabil Ayouch, is produced by Nabil Ayouch, is shot by Virginie Surdej, and is scored by Kristian Eidnes Andersen.

Release dates: 26 May 2022 (Cannes) and 22 February 2023 (Morocco). In the UK, it screens at the London Film Festival on 14 October 2022 and at the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival on 23 March 2023.

Running time: 118 minutes.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,521

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com