New Wave
The Blue Caftan
A husband and wife run a small, traditional shop selling beautiful, handmade caftans in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. She turns a blind eye to his repressed homosexuality but complications arise when a strong, mutual attraction develops between him and the shop’s new young apprentice.
The Blue Caftan is not a film about being gay in Morocco - although that is illegal and punishable with 3 year’s imprisonment; it is a film about love and understanding. All three of the main protagonists are deeply sympathetic characters and although the husband and wife are sexually incompatible, there is an extremely deep and powerful bond between them.
The result is a tender, compassionate and understated drama with outstanding performances, particularly from Lubna Azabal, who plays the wife, Mina. The husband, Halim, is played by Saleh Bakri, who starred in two earlier RFS screenings, The Band’s Visit and Wajib, in Seasons 47 and 57 respectively.
The film was a big hit on the festival circuit, garnered numerous awards (including three at Cannes) and, as Morocco’s entry, was shortlisted for the 2023 Best International Feature Film Oscar.
60 non-member tickets are available to purchase for this screening. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3) and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events, by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person. To ensure that you secure a ticket and avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend early pre-booking via The Exchange.
Richmond Film Society was formed in 1963 and has since screened over 860 films. Our objective was, and remains, to bring our community the very best in World Cinema. Our 19-film seasons run from September to June and attract an aggregate audience approaching 4,500 attendees.
Films are shown on alternate Tuesdays at 8:00 pm sharp, with no ads or trailers. On screening nights, the bar opens at 7:00 p.m. and drinks can be brought into the auditorium. Film notes are available online for each screening and audience scores and feedback are collated.
See http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk for further information and full details of our Season 60 programme.
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