Rabat – Moroccan feature film “Le Bleu du Caftan” by renowned filmmaker Maryam Touzani has won two prizes at the Angouleme Francophone Film Festival in France. The film received the best director award and the best actor award for Saleh Bakri, who played the leading character.
The film tells the story of Halim and Mina, a married couple who own a traditional caftan shop in the old medina of Sale, 12 kilometers north of Rabat. But Halim and Mina, who seems like a normal loving couple, hid a secret: Halim’s unorthodox sexual orientation, which he had managed to keep low.
However, Mina’s illness and the arrival of Youssef, a young apprentice, at the shop will upset this balance. Halim starts to develop feelings for Youssef but unsuccessfully tries to hide them.
The film features Moroccan actors Saleh Bakri, Lubna Azabal, Ayoub Missioui, Mounia Lamkimel, Hamid Zoughi, and many others.
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Earlier this year, Le Bleu du Caftan was featured at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France, during which the film was awarded the International Critics’ Prize from the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).
In justification of their decision, the FIPRESCI jury lauded Touzani for the “bravery” of her film in shedding light on a taboo topic in Moroccan society.
Maryam Touzani co-produced Le Bleu du Caftan with her husband, Nabil Ayouch, an internationally acclaimed film director, producer, and writer. Ayouch’s creative productions have made a name for themselves in the Moroccan cinema industry, as they tackle taboos and hot-button social themes.
Founded in 2008, The Angoulême Francophone Film Festival is an annual event that takes place in the city of Angouleme in southwestern France to celebrate francophone cinema.
