Tatami
Iranian Cinema · Sport Cinema

Tatami

Zar Amir EbrahimiIran2023★★★★

Iranian judoka Leila and her coach Maryam arrive at the World Judo Championships with a real chance at gold. Midway through the tournament, a message arrives from the Islamic Republic: fake an injury, withdraw, or be branded a traitor. Shot in black and white with the urgency of a thriller, by co-directors Zar Amir Ebrahimi — herself an exile from Iran — and Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv. The first Iranian-Israeli cinematic collaboration, made in secret. Every match Leila wins tightens the noose. Sport as the purest form of political resistance, where your body is the only argument left.

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