Dir. by Maryam Touzani | 2022 | France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark | 122 Mins | M
The first Australian reviews are in..
Glam Adelaide | 5 Star Review
Christos Tsiolkas | The Saturday Paper Review
WINNER – Fipresci Prize – Un Certain Regard. Cannes Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Grand Jury Prize, Golden Star – Marrakech International Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Grand Jury Prize- International Feature – NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festival NYC
WINNER – Audience Award – Athens International Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Greek Film Critics Association Award – Athens International Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Best Director | Silver Hugo – Chicago International Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Best Actress – Vallladolid | Mexico | International Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Audience Award – Panorama | Vancouver International Film Festival 2022
WINNER – Best Narrative Feature – Arab Film Festival 2022
Co-funded by the
Creative Europe MEDIA Programme
of the European Union.
IN AUS CINEMAS MAY 18, 2023
IN NZ CINEMAS MAY 4, 2023
VIC
Cinema Nova, Carlton – STILL PLAYING AUGUST 23
A forbidden love triangle in a small Moroccan town.
Mina (Lubna Azabal – Incendies, Paradise Now) and her husband Halim (Saleh Bakri – Costa Brava, Lebanon) run a small business making and selling bespoke caftans in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. Halim is a master of his trade, and Mina a canny saleswoman, though their wares don’t come cheap and traditional dress is falling out of favour.
Woven with exquisite care, Maryam Touzani’s Cannes Un Certain Regard winning drama reveals a beautiful love triangle in a small Moroccan town (where gay relations are forbidden). Touzani explores a complex marriage with tenderness and grace in a sincere and superbly performed film that unfolds in unexpected and heartening ways.
If you only see one film this year, then this is the one
Glam Adelaide
Maryam Touzani’s gorgeously subtle second film, The Blue Caftan, shows the skill and intelligence of a much more experienced director.
The Saturday Paper
This beautifully textured Moroccan drama is superbly acted and emotionally resonant
The Blue Caftan is an elegant, artisanal film
Screen Daily
A film of exquisite sensuality
A work of handcrafted beauty
A stirring love story
A film of overwhelming tenderness — in exchanged glances or tactile moments as fleeting as one hand lightly touching another
The Hollywood Reporter
Anchored by three remarkable performances and a beautiful script that never wastes a line, Maryam Touzani made a film that oozes love from almost every frame.
IndieWire
Sensual and tactile
A hugely touching love story
The Film Verdict
A drama as indulgent and intricately woven as the silky garments themselves.
A subtle love story that works both as a gay awakening piece and a testament to enduring marital love.
Filmuforia
