El caftán azul

As a Belgian I feel proud to have an actrice as Lubna Azabal, one the best actrices in the international movie world. I will never forget the movie 'Incendies', for me still one of the best movies of this century, where she was also the leading actrice.

And this time again, Lubna and the other two leading actors were fantastic in their roles. The script is beautiful and very emotional. And the love and tenderness between the three very different characters is pure and very profound.

Le Bleu du Caftan puts all national feelings and international religions aside. It's a timeless story. Director Maryam Touzani has a very bright future ahead, what an achievement.

I fell in love with the tenderness and delicate sensuality of 'Le bleu du caftan'. Rarely does a movie maker so poetically depict the many facets of sincere love and sorrow. Surrounded by colourful fabrics and brilliant threads all viewers could admire the pure essence of touch, intimacy and devotion, but also the cutting pain of loss and grief.

Everyone in the movie hall was very quiet and in full admiration of this wonderful movie, and some had to reach for their handkerchiefs.

So, go to the cinema and be witness of a true and realistic masterpiece.

I saw this movie as a part of the Gothenburg Film Festival this year, 2023.

A story about a man and his wife, and the new apprentice, in their sewing business. It's about craftsmanship and love, in so many ways. It's about leaning on each other and trusting one another.

For me this was a really beautiful and moving movie. So much love, caring and feelings between the beautiful characters. The story is moving and gives hope and understanding for what they all go thru - and cannot control. Really high quality acting and story telling that's just amazing to see and made us both laugh and cry. And the craftsmanship that is shown is very fascinating. Beautiful caftans, especially the blue one.

Where to begin? Defying all the taboos and presenting a queer love story in arabic cinema, a pure presentation of love at its best. Beautifully filmed and edited in a magnificent and elegant craft. Career defying performance by the film leads! Devastating and yet beautiful story/ fairytale if i dare say so.

Intimate, personal, small yet larger than life film where the vulnerability of its characters made me feel i was an intruder in their presence ears dropping on their story from behind the curtain. Feeling their emotions and sharing their experiences Thanks to the beautiful work of its director. I wish for the whole world to watch this film because it is exactly why I love cinema! This film have the power to change lives!

A convenience, an arrangement but with love, like the hand that nestles firmly within glove, a partnership, a pairing, with the coalition fearing, that an influence might thrust down from above; as events are taken out of their control, a condition leaving one without parole, a fight that can't be won, a world that's gradually undone, a price to pay, with the heaviest of tolls; all performed with so much elegance and grace, as two people braid, entwine, surround, embrace, whose devotion and whose caring, elevate just what is sharing, with respect, regard and reverence their embrace.

It's a beautiful film, with beautiful performances from beautiful people.

A love story unlike any other. The love of craft & beauty, love of another person, the romantic love of two people at once, love of life itself & the love for the simplest things in life that give life meaning.

It is set in an independant caftan store in a small town in Morocco where the husband & wife owner craft hand stitched, quality caftans against the backdrop of a modernising trade that uses machinery. Customers are demanding, often impatient & the craft of hand made caftans is slowly losing to quickly made caftans via sewing machines.

You appreciate the value of craftsmanship, passion & the process involved through the intimate filming & sheer amount of time it takes to hand stitch a caftan.

The husband is secretly gay & starts to develop feelings for the new apprentice. His wife, who he dearly loves likely knows but loves him for who he is. This exploration of sexuality & free expression in the small town setting is heart wrenching as is the way the movie depicts the husbands love for his increasingly sick wife.

It makes you think about what love really is. With the sick wife facing her mortality, she still holds on to her sense of duty while making the most of the simplest things in life.

The apprentice adds an interesting dynamic & shows the loyalty of the husband when his wife truly needs him despite him also being sexually interested in men.

The music, setting, foods, drinks, hamams & clothing give an intimate insight in to small town Moroccan life. The creation & eventual destination of the Blue Caftan is a metaphor for how we might choose to make decisions in life based on love, rather than just money.

A powerful, philosophical, tender & heartwrenching movie that makes you feel. Well done!