The Blue Caftan (French: Le Bleu du caftan) is a 2022 Arabic-language drama film directed by Maryam Touzani. It depicts a woman and her closeted gay husband, who run a caftan store in the medina of Salé, Morocco, and hire a young man as an apprentice.

Halim and Mina run a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire young apprentice Youssef who shows an utmost dedication in learning the art of embroidery and tailoring from Halim. Slowly Mina realizes how much her husband is moved by the presence of the young man.

 The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The Moroccan Cinema Center (Centre cinématographique marocain) announced that The Blue Caftan had been chosen to represent Morocco in the 2023 Oscars shortlist in the “International Feature Film” category.

Available from Strand Releasing.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.