The Blue Caftan

Set in Morocco, this tale of repressed gay desire is a complex human drama with no easy answers. Married couple Halim (Saleh Bakri) and Mina (Lubna Azabal) run a caftan shop, hand-crafting exquisite pieces. But what is hidden is the truth of their marriage, an explosive secret not safe to share in conservative Moroccan society. Their uneasy peace is unsettled by the arrival of a young apprentice in the shop.

Having screened at Cannes Film Festival, this second feature from director Maryam Touzani has a unique delicacy, whether that’s to show the immense skill of the caftan making or the flicker of emotion across a face that expresses decades of feeling. A thoughtful consideration of tradition and modernity, this is an exquisitely realised LGBT+ drama from the Arab world.

Directed by Maryam Touzani
Cast includes Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri, Ayoub Massioui
Cert 12A