In a strange and sad twist of fate, TATAMI arrives in theaters as Israel and Iran are engaged in armed struggle. And yet this film, the first to be co-directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker, makes the compelling point that we as individuals are not bound by the political positions of our rulers.
TATAMI is co-directted by Zar Amir and Guy Nattiv and follows the story of Leila, an Iranian judo athlete who is forced into a compromising situation when she is told by government officials that she should pull out of a world championship competition by faking an injury to avoid facing an Israeli rival in the final round.
With the clock ticking, we see how pressure is applied to Leila, her family, and her coach, and the moral decay that happens when individual expression is crushed by autocratic control.
Beautifully shot in black and white, the film features a fierce lead performance by Arienne Mandi as Leila. Co-director Zar Amir, a winner of the Best Actress prize at Cannes for her role in THE HOLY SPIDER, is also terrific in the role of Leila’s coach.
Join us as we sit down with the co-directors, Zar Amir and Guy Nattiv, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now…
