The Blue Caftan

Handcrafting a caftan is a dying craft in Morocco. Living in the medina of the Moroccan city of Salé, Halim and his wife Mina still perform this beautiful and intricate craft. The two feel a great affection for each other, even though it is not a marriage in the traditional sense of the word; Halim is gay.

Since they can hardly cope with the amount of work, they hire Youssef, a new worker who agrees to learn the trade. While Halim is very enthusiastic about him, Mina has her reservations. His arrival, as well as the fact that Mina is ill and getting sicker, upsets the fragile balance in their marriage.

Moroccan director Maryam Touzani, best known here for Adam, shows in this warm and universal story that genuine love can take different forms. The impressive acting of the protagonists coupled with the beautifully understated camera work earned the film a standing ovation at its world premiere in Cannes.