The Blue Caftan ticket giveaway

The much-anticipated Moroccan drama The Blue Caftan will open in cinemas across the country on Thursday 18 May. Starring an excellent cast, dichotomies of duty, passion, desire and loyalty blur and intensify for the gently-spoken and sexually repressed Halim, a maalem (a caftan master tailor) who wrestles with his feelings for his apprentice, Youssef. Beyond incredible and sumptuous caftans and exotic fabrics exists a love triangle that forever changes the lives between husband, wife and ingenue.

Set in a small Moroccan town, husband and wife Mina (Lubna Azabal) and Halim (Saleh Bakri) operate a small business making and selling bespoke – and to-die-for – caftans for the locale. The pair are a formidable team. Halim is a master of the caftan-making trade. Mina is shrewd, overbearing and an astute salesperson. Unable to keep up with demand, they hire Youssef (Ayoub Missioui), a young man obsessed with the age-old art of embroidery and tailoring, who begins to harbour feelings for the tender and endearing Halim.

Pouring his love into his work of tailoring, Halim seeks small moments of refuge at bathhouses and with other men. Halim is torn between his repressed sexual feelings for men and his devotion to his wife, Mina. While Halim is unable to process – or accept – his sexuality, it becomes quite apparent that Mina knows her husband more than he knows himself. Sensing the burgeoning feelings between Halim and Youssef, Mina experiences suspicion, jealousy, and ultimately, acceptance. When faced with life-changing news, Mina integrates Youssef into their lives.

Directed by Maryam Touzani, The Blue Caftan has received some well-deserved praise, winning a slew of awards on the film festival circuit, including taking the Fipresci Prize – Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2022. Touzani once again proves that she is a powerful and effective filmmaker, who can deftly explore the human condition and feature raw and complex relationships. There is an undertone of tenderness, sensuality and softness to the film, which only puts the spotlight on the characters and their motivations and secret feelings.

Lubna Azabal and Saleh Bakri are a force in their portrayal of a married couple who, despite the tensions in their relationship, clearly share a deep love for each other. One of the most pivotal moments includes when Halim breaks down and reflects on how Mina “erased” his pain and was always there for him and when he admits that despite trying to suppress his homosexuality all his life, he didn’t succeed. Lubna Azabal is riveting playing a woman who projects a tough exterior.

To celebrate the release, Milk Bar is giving away two FREE double passes to see The Blue Caftan. All you need do is email ross@milkbarmag.com with the subject line ‘The Blue Caftan ticket giveaway’ and include your name, postal address and the cinema you intend to watch the movie.

The Blue Caftan
In cinemas May 18th.