The Blue Caftan

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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A kaftan or caftan is a robe or tunic that has been worn by a number of cultures around the world for thousands of years. These are popular garb in Morocco.

“The Blue Caftan” (French: “Le Bleu du caftan”) is a 2022 Arabic-language film directed by Maryam Touzani. It was chosen to represent Morocco in the 2023 Oscars shortlist in the International Feature Film category.

You can catch it at Tropic Cinema.

Here, we meet Mina (Lubna Azabal) and Halim (Saleh Bakri), a middle-aged couple who own a small caftan store in Salé, a city in northwestern Morocco.

The film begins as a love letter to the traditional hand-sewn tailoring that Halim learned from his father — an almost erotic display of rustling silks being caressed by tender hands. His wife Mina hawks the caftans at the front of their shop, flattering customers and bargaining with passersby.

The art of this ceremonial garment is a dying one. There are no “maalems” (masters) of this work left. And the shop’s customers aren’t as appreciative as they might be.

Business is tough. Machine-made clothes offer increasing competition to Halim’s artistry. Meanwhile, Mina’s health is taking a turn for the worse.

Eventually, they hire an apprentice to help at the shop. Youssef (Ayoub Missioui) is a handsome young man who displays an interest in this fading craft. “But his presence only exposes the delicate foundations of their relationship. When Youssef undresses, Halim gazes at him longingly, and Mina winces.”

But what would appear to be the makings of a love triangle remains at a simmer during this delicate telling.

Despite his longings, Halim remains a loyal husband, even if he does indulge in dalliances at local bathhouses. His relationship with Youssef remains at bay, even if he does foster an intimate atmosphere while teaching the boy a particular stitch or sewing with intricate skill.

However, Halim’s commitment to his wife is more than a sense of duty. We learn that his mother died giving birth to him and that his father subsequently despised him. “Mina erased all that,” he explains.

RogerEbert.com sums it up: “And all the while, Halim works on the title blue caftan, commissioned by another fussbudget customer who doesn’t know how good she has it. He goes one stitch after another with transcendent patience, each stitch an individual action of distinctive stress that, once accomplished, yields a beautiful and unique item of apparel. The movie’s finale shows Halim bestowing it to the only person deserving of such a gift.”

Spoiler alert? No, this movie is about truths, not surprises.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com