THE BLUE CAFTAN

Morocco, 2022, 124 minutes, Colour.

Lubna Azabel, Saleh Bakri, Ayoub Missioui.

Directed by Maryam Touzani.

A fine film.

It is from Morocco, filmed in the small area of a Moroccan town, streets and stores, especially a stall for fine needle craft for beautiful clothes, especially the blue caftan of the title. It has a female writer-director, Maryam Touzani, award-winning for her previous film, Adam, exploring the difficulties of an unmarried mother with her child in Moroccan society.

This is a quietly-paced story, gently told, drawing its audience in to identify with the three central characters, mainly in the store, their home, and a surprising outing to a bar, which is where men are meant to be, not women. We get to know the characters well, a great deal of close-up photography, and, as they work, as they experience illness, and their relationships, the use of extreme close-ups.

A tender film.

Halim is an expert craftsman in shaping fabrics, beautiful material, into garments, especially caftans, using skills that are gradually disappearing, and sewing giving way to sewing machines and speedy delivery of garments. Halim is middle-aged, quiet, laconic, but a gentle man, and gentlemen. His wife, Mina, is much more upfront, behind the counter, dealing with the customers, impatient with their quibbles and taste, delays in payment, the reliance on social status to get their own way. But, it emerges that she is not well, a later very moving sequence where a husband has to touch her, where her breast has been removed. Halim wants to do further tests but Mina realises that she is so ill it will lead to death.

There is an apprentice at the store, Youssef, eager to learn the craft, with a skill in needlework. Mina does not approve, having seen many apprentices come and go. However, Halim has a quiet regard for him. And, so, very quietly, the theme of sexual orientation, repression, especially in the context of Moroccan society and legislation against homosexuality, becomes part of audience consciousness. It does have its moments of more explicit reference, Halim going to visit to the local baths, suggestions rather than the more open revelations of Western culture films. The film, with the touch of its writer-director, shows a delicacy of intimacy.

Halim has great affection for his wife. He confides to Youssef that he had an unhappy childhood, a harsh father who established the store, but that Mina had erased all that bitterness and harshness of his early life. Halim is devoted to her, always quiet, attentive, staying at home to cook for his wife, caring for her as her illness grows. Mina is aware of what is happening to her, does break out when she persuades Halim to take her to the bar, the men all cheering a football match and she leaping to her feet yelling “goal”, to the puzzlement of the men and to Halim’s laughter. (On the way home they are accosted by the local police, wanting ID, wanting their marriage certificate.)

Mina is aware of Halim’s orientation, is patient with him, and bequeathing her love and encouragement as she dies. She has been harsh towards Youssef, a telling episode in the film about her accusing him of stealing some satin, her making a mistake about its whereabouts, discovering the truth but unable to tell Youssef, but finally a profound apology towards him.

At the end, Halim and Youssef carry Mina’s body through the town, a solemn procession, the final destination of the blue caftan – tribute paid to his wife and then a momentary glimpse of Halim and Youssef sitting quietly together in that bar.

A film of love and affection, of profound care, of desire, of restrain. A film for audiences to contemplate.

1. The title, the opening credits and the close-ups of the blue fabric, the making of the caftan, the craftsmanship, the needlework, the customers and their response to the caftan? How lead and his final gift of the caftan to his wife, for her burial, and the procession through the streets?
2. A Moroccan film, Moroccan culture, sensibilities? The locations in the town, the store, the home, the balcony and neighbours, the bar in the crowd? The final procession through the streets? The musical score?
3. The director, her female sensitivity and sensibilities, quiet, delicate, social concerns, marriage, care, sexual orientation, in the context of Moroccan society and legislation?
4. The portrait of Halim, his age, the quiet man, seen so often with his craft, his needlework, the close-ups of his precision? The store, inherited from his father? The craft, garments from 50 years earlier, the craftsmanship, no longer available, unknown, the age of the machine and rapid delivery? His work behind the scenes? His relationship with Youssef, the apprentice, the number of apprentices leaving, his encouraging yourself, the suggestions of affection? His response to Youssef’s declaration of love? His relationship with Mina, the many years of marriage, affection, at the store, at home, her illness, the tests and prognoses, the later revelation of the removal of her breast and her urging him to touch? The routines at home, the sexual sequences and Mina’s advance, his response? A lifelong fidelity to her?
5. Mina, upfront, at the store, dealing with the customers, arguing with them, despising some of them and their rank, impatient with their choices, young girl, the older women, the elderly woman with her garment from the past? Expectations of Halim? His working, getting behind, financial needs? At home, the meals, care for Halim? The bedroom sequence and her advance, her needs? Her illness, her knowing that she was to die? Urging Halim to work? His staying, taking over the cooking, caring for her at home? Her suspicions of Youssef, apprentices coming and going, the issue of the pink satin, accusation, his denial, the merchant bringing back the satin, her hiding it, not telling Youssef, his visiting the house, her changing, the importance of the apology and her tears? His tears?
6. The sequences of her illness, pain? Yet a devout Muslim, her clothes, rituals of prayer? In God’s hands?
7. Her decline in health, her death? Lying in state, the ritual of not touching her or her clothes, Halim touching, changing her into the blue caftan, the procession?
8. Halim, his orientation, repressed, his marriage, his statement that Mina erased all the hurt of his growing up in the treatment by his father? His continued affection for her, his love for her? His going to the bars, the men in the cubicles? Declaration by Youssef, his response, the distance, yet the closeness, the touch? Youssef coming to the house, the bond between them, Mina observing this, her bequest to them?
9. Youssef, wanting to be an apprentice, to learn the craft, his skills, the detailed instructions from Halim? His declaration of love? The accusation by Mina? His returning, concern about the store, working on the garments, Mina and her apology, his tears?
10. Mina lying in state, Youssef coming in, the change to the blue caftan, and his carrying the body with Halim through the streets?
11. The final moment, the sitting together at the bar, the future?