The Blue Caftan

Halim and Mina run a traditional caftan shop in the medina of Salé, Morocco, one of the country's oldest quarters. Long married and settled into a quiet working rhythm, they take on a young apprentice, Youssef, to keep up with the demands of their customers. Youssef throws himself into learning embroidery and tailoring from Halim, and Mina begins to notice how much her husband is moved by the young man's presence. Her illness and the newcomer's arrival together unsettle a balance the couple has maintained for years, and each of them has to confront what they have long avoided.

Maryam Touzani directed and co-wrote the film with Nabil Ayouch, who also produced it; it is the first of two features she has directed, followed by Calle Malaga. Lubna Azabal plays Mina, Saleh Bakri plays Halim, and Ayoub Messioui plays Youssef, with Zakaria Atifi, Mounia Lamkimel and Abdelhamid Zoughi in supporting roles. A co-production between Belgium, Denmark, Morocco and France, the drama runs 122 minutes.

The film holds a 7.5 rating on IMDb from around 7,400 votes and a 7.2 on TMDB from a much smaller base of about 190 users, a level of agreement that suggests it has travelled well beyond its home audience while remaining a relatively niche title.