The Blue Caftan

The Blue Caftan (released in France as Le Bleu du caftan) is a 2022 Moroccan drama directed by Maryam Touzani, who co-wrote the screenplay with Nabil Ayouch. A co-production between France, Morocco, Belgium and Denmark, the film is in Arabic and French, and stars Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri and Ayoub Missioui.

Set in the medina of Salé, one of Morocco's oldest cities, the story follows Halim and Mina, a married couple who run a traditional caftan tailoring shop. To keep up with demanding customers, they take on a talented young man named Youssef as an apprentice. Over time, Mina becomes aware of how deeply her husband is affected by the young man's presence, and the quiet balance between the three gradually shifts.

The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, winning the FIPRESCI Prize in that section. Chosen as Morocco's entry for the 2023 Oscars, it became the first Moroccan film ever shortlisted for the International Feature Film award.