Tatami (film)

Last updated

Tatami
Tatami, directed by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi.jpeg
Directed by
Screenplay by
  • Elham Erfani
  • Guy Nattiv
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyTodd Martin
Edited byYuval Orr
Production
companies
  • New Native Pictures
  • Keshet Studios
  • WestEnd Films
  • White Lodge Productions
  • Maven Screen Media
  • Tale Runners
  • Sarke Studios
Distributed by XYZ Films (US)
Release date
  • September 2, 2023 (2023-09-02)(Venice)
Running time
105 minutes [1]
Countries
  • Georgia
  • United States
LanguagesPersian, English

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.

Contents

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. [2]

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 between 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

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. [3] [4] Tatami is produced for Keshet Studios by Adi Ezroni and Mandy Tagger Brockey, alongside Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman from New Native Pictures. [5]

WestEnd Films acquired international rights in February 2023. [6] Other production companies involved in the project include White Lodge Productions, Maven Pictures, Tale Runners and Sarke Studios. [7]

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. [8]

Filming

In February 2023 the film was revealed by the Hollywood Reporter to be in post-production. [9] First-look images from the film were released in May 2023. [10]

Release

It had its World premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2023. [11] and its Asian premiere at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival [12] on October 25, 2023. It was also screened in the 19th Zurich Film Festival [13] on October 2, 2023. In February 2024, XYZ Films acquired US distribution rights to the film. [14]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaime Ray Newman</span> American actress, producer, and singer

Jaime Ray Newman is an American actress, producer and singer. She is known for starring as Kristina Cassadine in the soap opera General Hospital, Mindy O'Dell in the drama series Veronica Mars, Kat Gardener in the fantasy series Eastwick, Lt. Laura Cadman in the science-fiction series Stargate Atlantis, Tess Fontana in the science-fiction series Eureka, Kat Petrova in the drama-thriller series Red Widow, Sam Gordon in the comedy-drama series Mind Games, Allison Roth in the crime drama series Wicked City, and Sarah Lieberman in the Marvel series The Punisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mehdi Bajestani</span> Iranian actor

Mehdi Bajestani is an Iranian actor. He is best known for his performance as Saeed Hanaee in the crime thriller Holy Spider (2022), for which he earned a Robert Award nomination, a Bodil Award nomination and a German Film Award nomination.

Saeed Hanaei or Said Hanai was an Iranian serial killer, arrested in 2001 for the murders of at least 16 women in Mashhad. Hanaei was referred to as the "Spider Killer" for the way he lured his victims, mainly prostitutes, back to his home before strangling them. His arrest caused controversy in Iran at the time, with some religious extremists expressing support for his self-described fight against "moral corruption". He was executed by hanging on April 8, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marrakech International Film Festival</span>

The Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) is an international film festival founded by the Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation in 2001 and held annually in Marrakech, Morocco. The 20th edition is being held from November 24 until December 2, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zar Amir Ebrahimi</span> Iranian-French actress (born 1981)

Zahra Amir Ebrahimi, known professionally as Zar Amir Ebrahimi, is an Iranian-French actress, producer and director. She rose to international prominence for her performance as journalist Arezoo Rahimi in the crime thriller Holy Spider (2022), for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress and Robert Award for Best Actress.

<i>Under the Bombs</i> 2007 Lebanese film

Under the Bombs is a 2007 Lebanese drama film directed by Philippe Aractingi. The film is set in Lebanon at the end of the 2006 Lebanon War.

<i>Shirin</i> (film) 2008 Iranian film

Shirin is a 2008 Iranian drama film directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The film is considered by some critics as a notable twist in the artistic career of Kiarostami.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mina Kavani</span> Iranian-French actress

Mina Khosrovani, known professionally as Mina Kavani, is an Iranian-French actress. She is best known for her role in No Bears (2022), which won the Special Jury Prize at the 79th Venice International Film Festival.

Maryam Ebrahimi is a Swedish Iranian journalist, documentary filmmaker, producer and director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Nattiv</span> Israeli film director, producer and screenwriter

Guy Nattiv is an Israeli film director, screenwriter and producer who lives and works in the United States. His film Skin won an Oscar for best short film at the 91st Academy Awards. As of May 2021, Nattiv and Moshe Mizrahi were the only Israeli directors to have won an Academy award.

<i>Hava, Maryam, Ayesha</i> 2019 film

Hava, Maryam, Ayesha is a 2019 Afghan drama film directed by Sahraa Karimi. It was the first independent film shot in Afghanistan with an all-Afghan cast and crew.

<i>Golda</i> (film) 2023 film by Guy Nattiv

Golda is a 2023 biographical drama film directed by Guy Nattiv and written by Nicholas Martin. The film depicts the actions of Golda Meir, the 4th Prime Minister of Israel, during the Yom Kippur War. It stars Helen Mirren, Camille Cottin and Liev Schreiber.

Arienne Mandi is an American actress best known for playing the lead character Dani Núñez in The L Word: Generation Q. She has played minor roles in Hawaii Five-0, NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Agent X, NCIS: Los Angeles. She played the lead character, an Iranian judoka "Leila Hosseini" in the 2023 political-thriller "Tatami". She also played Francesca "Franki" Murray in Love, Classified (2022).

<i>Holy Spider</i> 2022 film by Ali Abbasi

Holy Spider is a 2022 Persian-language crime thriller film co-produced, co-written and directed by Ali Abbasi, starring Mehdi Bajestani and Zar Amir Ebrahimi. Based on the true story of Saeed Hanaei, a serial killer who targeted street prostitutes and killed 16 women from 2000 to 2001 in Mashhad, Iran, the film depicts a fictional female journalist investigating a serial killer.

<i>Beyond the Wall</i> (2022 film) 2022 Iranian film

Beyond the Wall is a 2022 Iranian drama film written and directed by Vahid Jalilvand, and produced by Ali Jalilvand. The film stars Navid Mohammadzadeh, Diana Habibi and Amir Aghaei. Beyond the Wall had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on 8 September 2022.

<i>Shayda</i> (film) 2023 film by Noora Niasari

Shayda is a 2023 Australian drama film written, directed and co-produced by Noora Niasari. The film stars Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Osamah Sami, Mojean Aria, Jillian Nguyen, Rina Mousavi, Selina Zahednia, and Leah Purcell. The story follows an Iranian immigrant woman in Australia who is raising her young daughter as the two live in a women's shelter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">36th European Film Awards</span> 2023 award ceremony

The 36th European Film Awards, presented by the European Film Academy to recognize achievements in European filmmaking, took place at Arena Berlin in Berlin on 9 December 2023. It was the twenty-second time that the awards ceremony took place in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">36th Tokyo International Film Festival</span> 2023 film festival

The 36th Tokyo International Film Festival is film festival that took place from October 23 to November 1, 2023. German filmmaker Wim Wenders served as jury president.

Noora Niasari is an Iranian-Australian film director based in Australia.

References

  1. "Tatami". Venice International Film Festival . July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  2. Ramachandran, Naman (February 8, 2023). "'Holy Spider' Star Zar Amir Ebrahimi, 'Golda' Director Guy Nattiv Team on Iran-Defying Film 'Untitled Judo,' WestEnd to Launch Sales at EFM". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  3. "Israeli director, Iranian actress team up on movie for the first time". Jerusalem Post. February 9, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  4. "First film co-directed by Iranian and Israeli spotlights Iranian human rights abuses". Israelnationalnews.com. February 8, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  5. Ntim, Zac (February 8, 2023). "WestEnd Films Boards 'Untitled Judo' Co-Directed By Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir Ebrahimi & Will Launch Sales At Berlin — EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  6. Calnan, Ellie (February 8, 2023). "WestEnd boards thriller 'Untitled Judo' co-directed by 'Holy Spider' star Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv". Screen Daily. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  7. "First Look at Keshet Studios' Political Thriller Judo Directed by Gur Nattiv & Zar Amir-Ebrahimi". Keshet International. May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  8. "Holy Spider' Star Zar Amir Ebrahimi, 'Golda' Director Guy Nattiv Team on Iran-Defying Film 'Untitled Judo,' WestEnd to Launch Sales at EFM". Weareactors.com. February 8, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  9. "Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir Ebrahimi to Become First Israeli, Iranian Duo to Co-Direct Feature With Political Thriller 'Untitled Judo'". Hollywood Reporter. February 8, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  10. Ravindran, Manori (May 16, 2023). "Guy Nattiv, Zar Amir-Ebrahimi Unveil First Look at Political Thriller 'Judo' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  11. Tartaglione, Nancy (July 25, 2023). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Mann, Lanthimos, Fincher, DuVernay, Cooper, Besson, Coppola, Hamaguchi In Competition; Polanski, Allen, Anderson, Linklater Out Of Competition – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  12. Rosser2023-09-27T09:23:00+01:00, Michael. "Tokyo reveals 20 world premieres among 2023 competition titles". Screen. Retrieved October 4, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. "Tatami". zff.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  14. Vlessing, Etan (February 17, 2024). "XYZ Films Nabs Iranian Drama 'Tatami' From 'Golda' Director Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  15. "Mostra del Cinema di Venezia: il Premio Brian 2023 a "Tatami" di Guy Nattiv e Zar Amir Ebrahimi". A ragion veduta. UAAR. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  16. Rosser2023-11-01T10:02:00+00:00, Michael. "'Snow Leopard' by late Pema Tseden wins top award at Tokyo film festival". Screen. Retrieved November 5, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. Steinberg, Jessica. "Israeli-Iranian film 'Tatami' wins at Tokyo International Film Festival". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.