Tatami (film)
{{Short description|2023 film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Tatami
| image = Tatami, directed by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi.jpeg
| caption =
| director = {{plainlist|* Guy Nattiv
}}
| producer = {{plainlist|
- Adi Ezroni
- Mandy Tagger Brockey
- Guy Nattiv
- Ori Allon
- Jaime Ray Newman
}}
| screenplay = {{Plainlist|*Elham Erfani
- Guy Nattiv}}
| based_on =
| starring = {{plainlist|
}}
| music =
| cinematography = Todd Martin
| editing = Yuval Orr
| studio = {{plainlist|
- New Native Pictures
- Keshet Studios
- WestEnd Films
- White Lodge Productions
- Maven Screen Media
- Tale Runners
- Sarke Studios
}}
| distributor = XYZ Films (US)
| released = {{Film date|2023|9|2|Venice}}
| runtime = 105 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2023/orizzonti/tatami|title=Tatami|website=Venice International Film Festival|date=July 18, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023}}
| country = {{plainlist|
- Georgia
- United States}}
| language = Persian, English
| budget =
}}
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.{{Cite web|website=Variety|date=February 8, 2023|title='Holy Spider' Star Zar Amir Ebrahimi, 'Golda' Director Guy Nattiv Team on Iran-Defying Film 'Untitled Judo,' WestEnd to Launch Sales at EFM|first=Naman|last=Ramachandran|accessdate=March 21, 2023|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/zar-amir-ebrahimi-guy-nattiv-iran-untitled-judo-westend-efm-1235516637}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-731030|website=Jerusalem Post|accessdate=May 24, 2023|date=February 9, 2023|title= Israeli director, Iranian actress team up on movie for the first time}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/367153|website=Israelnationalnews.com|accessdate=May 24, 2023|date=February 8, 2023|title= First film co-directed by Iranian and Israeli spotlights Iranian human rights abuses}} Tatami is produced for Keshet Studios by Adi Ezroni and Mandy Tagger Brockey, alongside Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman from New Native Pictures.{{Cite web|title=WestEnd Films Boards 'Untitled Judo' Co-Directed By Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir Ebrahimi & Will Launch Sales At Berlin — EFM|first=Zac|last=Ntim|date=February 8, 2023|website=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=March 21, 2023|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/westend-films-boards-untitled-judo-co-directed-by-guy-nattiv-zar-amir-ebrahimi-efm-1235252326|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208164825/https://deadline.com/2023/02/westend-films-boards-untitled-judo-co-directed-by-guy-nattiv-zar-amir-ebrahimi-efm-1235252326/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2023}}
WestEnd Films acquired international rights in February 2023.{{Cite web|website=Screen Daily|title=WestEnd boards thriller 'Untitled Judo' co-directed by 'Holy Spider' star Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/westend-boards-thriller-untitled-judo-co-directed-by-holy-spider-star-zar-amir-ebrahimi-and-guy-nattiv/5178935.article|first=Ellie|last=Calnan|date=February 8, 2023|accessdate=March 21, 2023}} Other production companies involved in the project include White Lodge Productions, Maven Pictures, Tale Runners and Sarke Studios.{{Cite web|url=https://www.keshetinternational.com/ki-news/first-look-at-keshet-studios-political-thriller-judo-directed-by-guy-nattiv-zar-amirebrahimi|website=Keshet International|date=May 17, 2023|accessdate=May 24, 2023|title=First Look at Keshet Studios' Political Thriller Judo Directed by Gur Nattiv & Zar Amir-Ebrahimi}}
=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.{{Cite web|title= Holy Spider' Star Zar Amir Ebrahimi, 'Golda' Director Guy Nattiv Team on Iran-Defying Film 'Untitled Judo,' WestEnd to Launch Sales at EFM|date=February 8, 2023|accessdate=May 24, 2023|website=Weareactors.com|url=https://weareactors.com/holy-spider-star-zar-amir-ebrahimi-golda-director-guy-nattiv-team-on-iran-defying-film-untitled-judo-westend-to-launch-sales-at-efm/}}
=Filming=
In February 2023 the film was revealed by the Hollywood Reporter to be in post-production.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/guy-nattiv-zar-amir-ebrahimi-iran-thriller-untitled-judo-1235320387|website=Hollywood Reporter|date=February 8, 2023|accessdate=March 21, 2023|title= Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir Ebrahimi to Become First Israeli, Iranian Duo to Co-Direct Feature With Political Thriller 'Untitled Judo'}} First-look images from the film were released in May 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/guy-nattiv-judo-zar-amir-ebrahimi-1235614618/|website=Variety|date= May 16, 2023|accessdate=May 24, 2023|title=Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir-Ebrahimi Unveil First Look at Political Thriller 'Judo' (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Manori|last=Ravindran}}
Release
It had its World premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2023.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/venice-film-festival-lineup-2023-full-list-1235447144/|title=Venice Film Festival Lineup: Mann, Lanthimos, Fincher, DuVernay, Cooper, Besson, Coppola, Hamaguchi In Competition; Polanski, Allen, Anderson, Linklater Out Of Competition – Full List|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|date=July 25, 2023|access-date=July 25, 2023}} and its Asian premiere at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival{{Cite web |last=Rosser2023-09-27T09:23:00+01:00 |first=Michael |title=Tokyo reveals 20 world premieres among 2023 competition titles |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/tokyo-reveals-20-world-premieres-among-2023-competition-titles/5186306.article |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=Screen |language=en}} on October 25, 2023. It was also screened in the 19th Zurich Film Festival{{Cite web |title=Tatami |url=https://zff.com/en/movies/tatami |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=zff.com |language=en}} on October 2, 2023. In February 2024, XYZ Films acquired US distribution rights to the film.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/xyz-films-tatami-guy-nattiv-1235828554/|title=XYZ Films Nabs Iranian Drama ‘Tatami’ From ‘Golda’ Director Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Etan|last=Vlessing|date=February 17, 2024|access-date=February 17, 2024}}
Awards
- Brian Award at the 80th Venice International Film Festival{{cite web |title=Mostra del Cinema di Venezia: il Premio Brian 2023 a “Tatami” di Guy Nattiv e Zar Amir Ebrahimi|url=https://blog.uaar.it/2023/09/08/mostra-del-cinema-di-venezia-il-premio-brian-2023-a-tatami-di-guy-nattiv-e-zar-amir-ebrahimi/ |website=A ragion veduta |publisher=UAAR |access-date=9 September 2023}}
- Special Jury Prize at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival{{Cite web |last=Rosser2023-11-01T10:02:00+00:00 |first=Michael |title=‘Snow Leopard’ by late Pema Tseden wins top award at Tokyo film festival |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/snow-leopard-by-late-pema-tseden-wins-top-award-at-tokyo-film-festival/5187465.article |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Screen |language=en}}
- Best Actress for Zar Amir Ebrahimi at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Jessica |title=Israeli-Iranian film ‘Tatami’ wins at Tokyo International Film Festival |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-iranian-film-tatami-wins-at-tokyo-international-film-festival/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}
References
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