Tatami - English subtitled
Political thriller about a judoka who is pressurised into losing on purpose during the world championships. A blood-curdling battle ensues, fought both on and off the mat (tatami).
Midway through the Judo World Championships, Iranian female judo fighter Leila – who has a good chance of winning gold – may have to take on an Israeli opponent. Since a possible loss against the archenemy would be a national disgrace, she and her coach Maryam receive an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic ordering Leila to fake an injury and withdraw from the tournament. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake, Leila is faced with an impossible choice: comply with the Iranian regime as her coach Maryam implores her to do, or fight on, for the gold.
TATAMI centres on the themes of women versus men, athletes versus government agents, and freedom versus oppression. It is the first feature film jointly directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker. Directors Nattiv and Amir Ebrahimi (also one of the lead actors) draw subtle but unmistakable parallels between the events on the mat and Leila’s political dilemma. As a result, TATAMI captivates both as a political thriller and as a sports film, At the Venice Film Festival, the film won the Brian Award, an award that supports the values of freedom of expression, respect for human rights and democracy. (ek)