El caftán azul

Where to begin? Defying all the taboos and presenting a queer love story in arabic cinema, a pure presentation of love at its best. Beautifully filmed and edited in a magnificent and elegant craft. Career defying performance by the film leads! Devastating and yet beautiful story/ fairytale if i dare say so.

Intimate, personal, small yet larger than life film where the vulnerability of its characters made me feel i was an intruder in their presence ears dropping on their story from behind the curtain. Feeling their emotions and sharing their experiences Thanks to the beautiful work of its director. I wish for the whole world to watch this film because it is exactly why I love cinema! This film have the power to change lives!

Perhaps the biggest question I have in connection with this film is, "Why hasn't it received far more recognition than it has?" This positively beautiful picture - winner of the Un Certain Regard FIPRESCI Prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival - should have received far wider attention than it has in this year's awards competitions, including the Oscars. Writer-director Maryam Touzani's second feature outing tells the tender, touching story of the middle-aged husband and wife owners of a traditional Moroccan caftan shop who take on a handsome young apprentice to help with their backlog of orders, a decision with ramifications that extend beyond the workplace, including those of an amorous nature. This gorgeously filmed, sensitively presented tale succeeds on so many levels that it's difficult to list them all - a superbly nuanced screenplay, a beautiful background score, gorgeous costuming and exquisite cinematography, to name just a few. It also brilliantly evokes a variety of moods, from romantic to loving to sensual to erotic, all without ever becoming obvious, excessive or tawdry (though don't be surprised if it opens up the water works at times, so keep the hankies within reach). Then there are the stellar performances of the three principals, all masterfully handled by Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri and newcomer Ayoub Missioui. Indeed, how this one got so egregiously overlooked truly escapes me, and I sincerely wish it had been released in time for me to include it on my list of the year's best releases. It should have rightfully claimed nominations for best foreign language/international film in a number of competitions, given its far superior attributes compared to many of the underwhelming releases that somehow managed to land awards or nominations. It's rare these days when a film has just about everything going for it, but "The Blue Caftan" certainly succeeds at this and is definitely well worth the viewing time.

All three actors are unimpeachable and creator, Touzani, gathered a sensitivity and grace in this touching work, where he shows a renunciation of some out of benevolence towards others, towards whom there is no physical, but spiritual love. The point is that we have a life which we can share only with a small number of people, who can share theirs with us, but if we support and help each others. Sexual orientation in those situations certainly isn't a priority. Beautiful and very emotional script can't waste a line and it oozes care from almost every minute. Essentially, "The Blue Caftan" isn't LGBTQ movie, but about a pure love between totally different characters, in every way.

A convenience, an arrangement but with love, like the hand that nestles firmly within glove, a partnership, a pairing, with the coalition fearing, that an influence might thrust down from above; as events are taken out of their control, a condition leaving one without parole, a fight that can't be won, a world that's gradually undone, a price to pay, with the heaviest of tolls; all performed with so much elegance and grace, as two people braid, entwine, surround, embrace, whose devotion and whose caring, elevate just what is sharing, with respect, regard and reverence their embrace.

It's a beautiful film, with beautiful performances from beautiful people.

A love story unlike any other. The love of craft & beauty, love of another person, the romantic love of two people at once, love of life itself & the love for the simplest things in life that give life meaning.

It is set in an independant caftan store in a small town in Morocco where the husband & wife owner craft hand stitched, quality caftans against the backdrop of a modernising trade that uses machinery. Customers are demanding, often impatient & the craft of hand made caftans is slowly losing to quickly made caftans via sewing machines.

You appreciate the value of craftsmanship, passion & the process involved through the intimate filming & sheer amount of time it takes to hand stitch a caftan.

The husband is secretly gay & starts to develop feelings for the new apprentice. His wife, who he dearly loves likely knows but loves him for who he is. This exploration of sexuality & free expression in the small town setting is heart wrenching as is the way the movie depicts the husbands love for his increasingly sick wife.

It makes you think about what love really is. With the sick wife facing her mortality, she still holds on to her sense of duty while making the most of the simplest things in life.

The apprentice adds an interesting dynamic & shows the loyalty of the husband when his wife truly needs him despite him also being sexually interested in men.

The music, setting, foods, drinks, hamams & clothing give an intimate insight in to small town Moroccan life. The creation & eventual destination of the Blue Caftan is a metaphor for how we might choose to make decisions in life based on love, rather than just money.

A powerful, philosophical, tender & heartwrenching movie that makes you feel. Well done!