"In 'Tatami', a fresh cinematic offering, a dedicated Iranian judo athlete's combat extends beyond the wrestling surface"
In the adrenaline-pumping thriller Tatami, the line between victory and survival blurs as Leila Hosseini, an Iranian judoka, finds herself embroiled in a political storm. Competing at the World Judo Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, Leila's match against an Israeli opponent sets off a chain of events that threatens her dreams, her family, and her very life.
The plot is inspired by the harrowing real-life tales of Iranian athletes who were coerced into abandoning their dreams and, in some cases, their homes and loved ones. Tatami explores the heart-wrenching dilemma these athletes faced: submit to the regime's demands and forfeit the match or compete despite the risks.
The film marks a significant achievement in the world of cinema as it is co-directed by Oscar winner Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir, who won the 2022 best actress award at Cannes for her role in the film Holy Spider.
Nattiv shared his motivation for bringing Zar on board, "Because I'm not Iranian, I wanted to open myself to Iranian talent, and then I saw [Iranian-born Danish director Ali Abbasi's] Holy Spider and my jaw dropped when I saw Zar's performance." Zar not only co-directed but also stepped into the role of Maryam Ghanbari, Leila's lifelong coach. The film portrays how Iranian officials pressure Maryam to force Leila to fake an injury and withdraw.
Leila's portrayal is shouldered by Arienne Mandi, who, along with Zar, trained with real judokas to prepare for their roles. The preparation was particularly poignant given the film's basis in the true story of Saeid Mollaei, an Iranian world champion judoka who was ordered to intentionally lose at the 2019 world championships in Tokyo to avoid going up against an Israeli judoka.
Zar initially had reservations about joining the project but found the courage to take the plunge, likening her own hesitation to Maryam's predicament in the movie.
Working on the film was fraught with security concerns due to the rarity of such an Iranian-Israeli collaboration. "We had to call this project a different name, we spoke only English, we were in different hotels, and it was a closed set. So we just wanted to make sure that we are not a target," Nattiv explained.
The film sheds light on the complex reasons behind Iran's desperation to prevent Leila from possibly competing against an Israeli athlete. Nattiv posits, "Judo is a sport where you have to honor your opponent because you have to bow. There's a lot of respect. And the Islamic regime doesn't want the Iranian judoka to lose to an Israeli because you have to honor her or him by bowing, and they see that as an insult in a way."
For Zar, the film serves as a critique of Tehran's political agenda. "We need this imaginary enemy. This is the way totalitarian regimes survive, especially in the Middle East, but it's so absurd. So more and more people don't obey," she said.
Zar's work is deeply personal, reflecting her own journey. She fled Iran in 2008 and faced threats following her Cannes win. "When I do a movie like Holy Spider or Tatami, it's not just only making a movie for me. It's so important how we do this movie, how we bring these kinds of stories to cinema," Zar said, expressing her unwavering resolve in the face of threats.
Tatami arrives at a critical juncture for Israel and Iran, whose longstanding conflict erupted into a full-scale war this month, adding a layer of prescience to the film. Nattiv sees art as a healing force in such tumultuous times, stating, "Collaboration between so-called enemies will heal more. So from my point of view, I just feel that art heals. This is our weapon. Make art, not war."
Zar sees their collaboration as a window into a new culture, one not dissimilar from her own. "It's just like we are sisters and brothers. We like the same music. We like the same food," she said, emphasizing the importance of understanding and empathy in resolving conflicts.
The broadcast version of this story was produced by Olivia Hampton, who edited the digital version.
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The film, Tatami, delves into the political repercussions of sports, specifically football's counterpart, judo, as Iranian officials pressure coaches to manipulate matches due to the regime's aversion to competing against Israeli athletes, thereby maintaining their ideological superiority.
Nattiv, the co-director of Tatami, views collaboration within such contentious contexts as a transformative force, advocating, "Make art, not war." This sentiment underscores the power of cooperation, possibly signifying a path towards reconciliation between nations like Israel and Iran.
