I’m in the Storyhouse library/ cafe with my paper bucket of coffee. I’m completing my final entries for my college workbook and journal. In an hour and a half I will go and watch a movie here before heading home. The movie is Moroccan and is titled The Blue Caftan .
I will review it later
I have just written 1000 words or so on the art of Demonstrating acceptance
The following video says it way better than I could ever do
His dry honesty is incredibly moving
The Blue Caftan is a gem of a film.
It’s a precise, gently unfolding drama set in the claustrophobic back streets of a Moroccan town where tailor Halim ( Salah Bakri) and his wife Mina ( Lubna Azabel ) forge a difficult existence producing beautifully crafted items of women’s clothing mainly for weddings . The couple are devoted and loving but exist with the unspoken truth that Halim is gay and occasionally visits a local hamman to meet his sexual needs.
When a young apprentice Yosef. (Ayouboui Massi) joins the shop, Mina’s unspoken fears are unearthed as she realises her husbands attraction to the younger man.
All this is done at such a gentle pace in just three claustrophobic and dimly lit places, the couple’s flat, shop and the hamman and as deftly as Halim’s beautiful sewing the threads of the three characters come together as Mina’s health fails her and she comes to face her own mortality and the potentially happy future her husband may have with Yousef
In one slow and beautiful scene the dying Mina apologies to Yousef for being so hard on him and with a few gentle glances she effectively weaves the young man into the couple’s life with an acceptance and love which is heartbreaking to watch .
The Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani has crafted a nuanced, brave and important film in The Blue Caftan.
A film bursting with hope and love and the goodness of people.
Beautiful
Too right! I wish everyone could be as understanding.
ReplyDeleteCheers Peter
I remember auntie Gladys saying when questioned about gay marriage at the age of 97
DeleteShe smiled and said simply “ it’s the law”
Lovely man.
ReplyDeletePragmatic
DeleteExactly ! Live and let live if you are doing no harm. I wear trousers or a dress when ever it takes my fancy. No one else's business.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way he turned things around
DeleteI agree entirely. What causes people to feel they have to judge other peoples lifestyle? I'm not talkig about law and order, just normal everyday life We all have opinions, of course we do, but having those opinions doesn't give us the right to openly criticise or condemn something we don't agree with..
ReplyDeleteAmen Joan from Devon
DeleteI received a wake-up call this week from my counselor when I was going on angrily to her about someone in my life who had made a racist comment about someone to me; I hadn't been kind at all to him about it. She very slowly said, "Oh, you're judging the judger. How about trying to love him as he is, and ask questions instead, that could help you maybe understand him? Understanding where he is coming from does not mean you agree with him, or condone his beliefs. Love is what's missing here." I sat there, speechless. She is right, of course. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThat’s quite challenging dont you think ?
DeleteLord yes, it is challenging. She has me checking myself all day now, to see if I am loving or judging, and asking myself how it feels when I am doing one or the other. It's love, love feels better.
DeleteWhat a boring world it would be if we were all the same. As long as no-one is getting hurt, live and let live.
ReplyDeleteHow's Albert this morning? I hope he's recovered from whatever was ailing him. xx
Just seen your review of The Blue Caftan. What a great sounding film. Talk about demonstrating acceptance! xx
DeleteExactly , it was beautiful how Mina brought the two men together that’s acceptance
DeletePerfectly put, if only there were a larger percentage of people with that attitude ... but you know maybe there are! Perhaps we only hear about the much smaller proportion of the idiots and trouble stirrers because they shout the loudest.
ReplyDeleteKeyboard warriors
DeleteYes, "live and let live." Or as Ann Landers always used to say in her advice column, "MYOB."
ReplyDeleteLol lol I like that
DeleteHad to google her
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask_Ann_Landers
A worthy thought, indeed. Ta, John, and congrats on such progress on your class work.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy the movie.
Hugs!
It is a lovely place to study in, many people there were working , I suspect an alternative place than home
DeleteI keep this on my mirror:
ReplyDeleteTHINK before you speak!
T - is it true?
H - is it helpful?
I - is it inspiring?
N - is it necessary?
K - is it kind?
Again....with an accent like that I could listen to his (wise) words all day........sigh x
ReplyDeleteI know…second only to the Yorkshire accent
DeleteLive and let live...spoken from the heart.
ReplyDeleteAnd as matter of fact as what’s for dinner
DeleteWell that IS refreshing. He reminds me of the neighbors we used to have at my grandparent's hunting cabin in West Virginia. Very salt-of-the-earth and live-and-let-live. I don't know when everyone decided they had to be all up in other people's business.
ReplyDeleteI have always been surprised by people, ones that may on the surface would strike you to be say homophobic actually turn out the most accepting . This has happened to me many times
Deletebrilliant video, we're all just people at the end of the day, i hope your course work goes well x
ReplyDeleteNearly finished
DeleteWho gives anybody the right to tell one about how they wish to live. It is their life, just deal with your own. I have been called a wild child by someone who doesn’t really know me very well, if she did she would know I am definitely not wild, I just march to my own drum. I respect choice of sex partners, identification, races, cultures etc. GG
ReplyDeleteAgree live and let live….unless people are spreading dangerous views. For example, I just had a verbal punch up with someone who had their cat declawed…yup is legal in some countries.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you declaw a cat
DeletePeople do it so the cats don’t scratch furniture. I had a couple of declawed cats (they were used cats). Brought one to the UK, her new vet was appalled and had never seen a fully declawed cats - front feet only
DeleteAnd how much would that cost
DeleteNo idea John, needs a general, of course. The paws are horrible…sort of flappy paddles.
DeleteTuva, the one who came to the Uk, had nasty little calluses on her pads.
Although there are some misleading statements in that video, mostly about comparing being trans to a choice like wearing overalls, I do have to love the guy.
ReplyDeleteYes I chose to let that go a bit because l liked his view of live and let live
DeleteMe too.
DeleteAnd his way of talking
ReplyDeleteThe film, it would seem was all about acceptance too and
ReplyDeleteI would love to see it, but I live in rural Australia ….no gay art house films near me EVER
Netflix ???
DeleteQuick reply ….yes I tend to watch most online but as a gay woman I’d love to meet other gay women at a film showing like the one you went to
DeleteJen
Welcome Jen xx I’m in the sticks but I’m luck with 2 arthouse cinemas near
DeleteI’ve only been following for two weeks but I’m hooked ( found you through debra!!! )
DeleteLove your dirty sense of humour and
You have a few twat trolls which really surprised me.
Jen
Lol Jen, you’ve seen nothing yet !! Lovely to have u aboard x
DeleteSounds a lovely film
ReplyDeleteIt was
DeleteI don't understand this current situation where a minority of people feel that they have the right to define the behavior of everyone around them. To punish and shame others. Your movie sounds like something the world needs to see.
ReplyDeleteHe puts his view so well. It's so easy to just judge people without tolerance, compassion and especially an open attitude to change and lack of fear. I think your Auntie Gladys was a great example of good thinking.
ReplyDeleteKill off the inconvenient wife so the philandering husband can shack up with a boy toy. That’s beautiful?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a gay fantasy. The wife just “happens” to get sick and die leaving the husband to live his dream life after using his wife as a beard and stealing all the years she had from her. And gays think this is lovely. Sick.
DeleteThe film was about love, and it was incredibly beautiful as Halim loved Mina as well as being gay
DeleteSee the film Anon and then critique it
And don’t be silly
I had a handsome Moroccan boyfriend - he sent a photo of me to his mother - I think his preference was for men though unfortunately for me x
ReplyDeleteOh dear
DeleteI don't mind now - I had a Libyan and a nice selection too who liked the ladies x 💃
Delete