# Tatami (film)

Tatami is a 2023 film directed by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi, from a screenplay by Nattiv and Elham Erfani. It stars Arienne Mandi, Ebrahimi, Jaime Ray Newman, Ash Goldeh and Sina Parvaneh.
It had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2023, receiving positive reviews from the critics and audience.

## Synopsis

The film follows Iranian female judoka Leila (Arienne Mandi) and her coach Maryam (Zar Amir Ebrahimi), who travel to the World Judo Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, intent on bringing home Iran’s first gold medal. This includes a possible encounter with an Israeli athlete, something that the Mullah regime prohibits. Midway through the competition, Leila and her coach receive repeated threats from the Islamic Republic ordering Leila to fake an injury and drop out of the tournament. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake, Leila faces a difficult choice: feign injury and comply with the Iranian regime as Maryam implores her to do, or defy them both and fight on, for the gold.
Although Maryam urges Leila to feign an injury and withdraw, Leila remains determined to compete. This leads to an altercation between them, which officials of the World Judo Association notice. An exasperated Leila bangs her head against a bathroom mirror leading to a gash on her forehead. As Leila continues competing, the Iranian authorities begin retaliating against her family, attempting to arrest her husband and coercing her father into sending her a video message urging her to withdraw. World Judo Association officials interview Leila and confirm that she is being threatened, but Leila cannot think of anything they can do to help her. Leila eventually loses in a match with a Georgian judoka. Officials in the Iranian tournament delegation then attempt to force Maryam into a car and back to Iran, but Maryam runs away. Leila, her family, and Maryam obtain asylum in France.

## Cast

* Arienne Mandi as Leila Hosseini
* Zar Amir Ebrahimi as Maryam Ghanbari
* Jaime Ray Newman as Stacey Travisi
* Nadine Marshall as Jean Claire Abriel
* Lirr Katz as Shani Lavi
* Ash Goldeh as Nader Hosseini
* Sina Parvaneh as Azizi
* Valeriu Andriuță as Vlad
* Mehdi Bajestani as Amar Hossein
* Justina (Farima Habashizadehasl) as Herself
* Elham Erfani as Assistant coach

## Production

With Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi as co-directors, the project marks the first feature film to be co-directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker. Tatami is produced for Keshet Studios by Adi Ezroni and Mandy Tagger Brockey, alongside Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman from New Native Pictures.
WestEnd Films acquired international rights in February 2023. Other production companies involved in the project include White Lodge Productions, Maven Pictures, Tale Runners and Sarke Studios.

### Casting

In February 2023 the cast was revealed to include Arienne Mandi and Amir Ebrahimi in the lead roles, with appearances by Jaime Ray Newman, Nadine Marshall and Mehdi Bajestani.

### Filming

In February 2023 the film was revealed by the Hollywood Reporter to be in post-production. First-look images from the film were released in May 2023.

## Release

It had its World premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2023. and its Asian premiere at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival on October 25, 2023. It was also screened in the 19th Zurich Film Festival on October 2, 2023. In February 2024, XYZ Films acquired US distribution rights to the film.

## Awards

* Brian Award at the 80th Venice International Film Festival
* Special Jury Prize at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival
* Best Actress for Zar Amir Ebrahimi at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival