The political situation in the Middle East has been tense for many years, as up to this day, some countries still refuse to recognize the state of Israel, established in 1948. This attitude results, among others, in boycotts of Israel in sports. During international tournaments, some Arab and Muslim athletes deliberately avoid competing against Israelis, as it’s prohibited by the Islamic clergy and mosque leaders. Certain countries, most notably Iran, even go so far as to mandate that their athletes do not compete against Israelis or in Israel. In this context, it’s important to mention that “Tatami” is the first feature movie co-directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker – Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv. It premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival where it was nominated for the Venice Horizons Award, and won the Brian Award. It was also awarded the Special Jury Prize, and the Best Actress Award at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival.
Check also this article
The story, based on the incident in 2019 when Saeid Mollaei was ordered to forfeit matches at the tournament to avoid facing a rival from Israel, was written by Guy Nattiv and Elham Erfani. It concentrates on two Iranian women – judoka Leila Hosseini (Arienne Mandi) and her coach Maryam Ghanbari (Zar Amir Ebrahimi), who practiced judo herself. They travel to the Judo World Championship with the intention of winning the first gold medal for their homeland. After starting the tournament well, the possibility arises that Leila may have to fight with Shani Lavi (Lir Katz), an Israeli judoka. Maryam gets a phone call from the Iran Judo Federation with an order saying that her protégé must fake an injury and forfeit. Leila is confronted with a difficult choice. She can comply with the Iranian regime as Maryam insists, or she can keep fighting.
The movie is confined to one location, a sports facility that hosts the championship, and for the most part, takes place during a few hours. This approach definitely helps to create a very tense and claustrophobic atmosphere. The viewers might find themselves on the edge of the seat for a considerable part of the film, as the main character fights not only with her coach, but also with herself. The creators cleverly use match commentary to provide a tutorial on judo, although they could also give some information about why Leila gets the ultimatum in the first place, as it might not be obvious to everyone.
Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Cannes best actress winner for her role in “Holy Spider” (2022), once again provides an exceptional performance. She convincingly portrays the deep internal conflict her character has regarding decisions she made in the past, which contributes to a complex mix of emotions. However, the younger and less experienced Arienne Mandi keeps pace with her, as she aptly portrays a character that’s focused and determined to win the tournament. For this lead role, she was awarded at the 7th Brussels International Film Festival. Their performances are a key element of the picture, as interactions between the characters vividly increase tension.
The cinematography by Todd Martin, for whom this is only the second time working on a full-length film, is simple and expressive, as he uses few but well-fitted stylistic means. The shots are all black and white, taken mostly by a handheld camera, with many close-ups that capture not only the emotions of the characters but also the energetic nature of Judo fights. These visual choices make the movie very exciting, while the use of hip-hop music effectively highlights the main character’s desire for rebellion.
In the context of the middle-eastern geopolitics, “Tatami” seems like a glimmer of solace showing that partnership between different nations is possible. Being knowledgeable about the situation in the region is advisable to fully appreciate “Tatami” as a political thriller, although even without it, it’s a compelling sports movie. Unfortunately, as the Western World Judo Association becomes the hero of the story, the ending serves as an unequivocal and blatant critique of the Islamic Republic of Iran to such a degree, that it feels forced and a little propagandist. Despite that unsatisfactory ending, the directors skilfully demonstrate how sociopolitical issues should be effectively implemented into action-packed cinema.
