Among the most interesting films seen at the last one Venice Film Festival (Horizons section), Tatami Of Zan Amir Ebrahimi And Guy Nattivi Talks about sports, injustices of a political regime, willpower of a single woman against the authoritarian force of an entire government and its offshoots.
The official trailer of Tatami, the film in cinemas | Video
It was released in theaters, in sad coincidence with the growing tension between Iran and Israel in recent days, after the Israeli raid on Damascus of April 1st and threats from Tehran.
And the first film co-directed by a Tehran director and an Israeli director. It is inspired by one true story (male) and is shot in sometimes dazzling black and white, sometimes dark and disturbing. Don’t miss it in the room!
Directors and protagonist on set
TATAMI: THE MEANING OF THE TITLE
The essential original and international title of the film is Tatamithat is to say the platform on which the judo fights and other martial arts. On that tatami (from the Japanese term mat) there is continuous fighting and blows. But also rules, sportsmanship, precise fighting codes.
Off the platform the reality (not only) of the film is mixed with adevastating unsportsmanship with which the athlete protagonist of the film will have to deal.
TATAMI – A WOMAN FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM: PLOT AND CAST
Tbilisi, Georgia, women’s judo world championships. The promising and determined judoka Leila Hosseini (Harienne Mandi) is the star of the Iranian team coached by coach Maryam Ghanbari (the co-director of the film Zan Amir Ebrahimi). Leila wins all the first fights. The coach, however, receives one strange phone call from the Iranian judo federation.
On government orders, the male voice on the phone orders the fighter Hosseini to fake an injury or defeat as soon as possible. The regime in fact he doesn’t want Leila to be able to share the tatami with the Israeli Shani Lavi (Lir Katz). Lavi also seems like a possible candidate for the gold medal.
Leila doesn’t want to give in, but the power threatens retaliation even on his dearest loved ones…
TATAMI, REVIEW: IN FICTION, A TRAGIC REALITY IN BLACK AND WHITE
Tatami – in a clear and shocking black and white – opens with a small movement of the camera. The shot moves from the window of a moving bus to rest on the athletes of the Iranian women’s national judo team. It will close – almost an hour and 45 minutes later – with a similar movement up another bus and (maybe) other faces…
For the rest, the whole film is constructedinterior of the building and gym where the women’s world judo championships are held. We almost never see the public, because “the public” of the event and of History (the authors seem to suggest) are us, the spectators of the film.
Tatami takes place on fighting platform, in the corridors, in the bathrooms (with a headbutted mirror). On the stairs, in the offices and in the closets of the building that hosts the competitions. There camera follows Hosseini everywhere. The face covered by the veil, the angry and rebellious look often in the foreground.
The film of Zan Amir Ebrahimi And Guy Nattivi condenses the meaning of sport that is/should be free competition from any political, faith and ideology blinders, from any simulation. Judo is a direct clash, on equal terms, the outcome of which should be determined solely by athletic ability. The unsportsmanlike nature of the regime he would like staging an injury or defeat not real are rejected by an athlete who embodies the founding values of the discipline: loyalty, sacrifice, physical and mental strength.
The protagonists are excellent Harienne Mandi – the athlete at the center of the tatami – And Zan Amir Ebrahimi, his coach (also co-director). A spare, essential and powerful film. As tense as a thriller.
A film, so to speak Vasco Rossi: «Simple, not easy».
IF YOU LIKE TATAMI, HERE’S WHAT OTHER FILMS TO WATCH:
We advise you to recover Offside (2006) by Jafar Panahi (currently not available in Italy but available on DVD imported into Europe), Sanshiro Sugata (1943) by Akira Kurosawa (streaming for free on PlexTv in Japanese with English subtitles). That dirty last goal (1974) by Robert Aldrich (on Sky Cinema, NOW and Paramount+) e Warrior (2011) by Gavin O’Connor (for purchase or rental on Amazon Prime Video, Rakuten TV, Apple TV).
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News, curiosities and insights.
To always be updated
through whose point of view
fashion is experienced from the inside.
Also worth seeing Invictus – The invincible (2009) by Clint Eastwood (for purchase or rental on Amazon Prime Video, Rakuten TV, Apple TV), Throw Down(2004) by Johnnie To (not available in Italy, available on DVD imported into Europe). He Got Game (1998) by Spike Lee (Disney+).
