Youssef’s responsiveness appears driven as much by the tailor’s dedicated craftsmanship as by the unspoken but clearly mutual physical attraction between the two men. The attention to detail of Virginie Surdej’s camera in these work scenes - the spools of golden thread, the precision needlework, the regal braiding and intricate construction of long rows of Rouleau loop buttonholes - conveys the love that Halim pours into his trade. In particular, Halim’s elaborate work on a splendid blue caftan for the pushy wife of a town official fascinates Youssef. The impatience of customers wanting faster service and the backlog of orders necessitate hiring an apprentice, Youssef (gifted newcomer Ayoub Messioui), a quiet young man eager to learn everything that Halim teaches him about pattern-making, tailoring and embroidery.
In one of the oldest medinas in the northwestern Moroccan city of Salé, Halim (Saleh Bakri, The Band’s Visit) and his wife Mina (Lubna Azabal, so memorable in Adam) run a caftan shop where he hand-sews made-to-measure garments according to vanishing traditions he learned from his late father. Screenwriter: Maryam Touzani, in collaboration with Nabil Ayouch
Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard)Ĭast: Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri, Ayoub Messioui
