Tatami is the semi-spongy flooring you might find in an old Japanese house. Or in a judo dojo where competitors try to stay off their backs while trying to pin or throw the other (I'm hazy on the rules, as you can tell). That's how tatami is used in this Iranian/Israeli coproduction of the same name, directed by Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Iran) and Guy Nattiv (Israel).
The film opens with Leila (Arienne Mandi) and her teammates on their way to the world championship of judo in Tbilisi, Georgia. We peg Leila immediately as a bit of a rebel as she's listening to hip-hop on her headphones. We also see her coach, Maryam (Zar Amir, see above) eyeing her suspiciously on the bus ride.
When we arrive at the stadium, Leila bumps into fellow judoka, Shani (Lirr Katz), and they have a natter like fellow competitors do. But Shani being Israeli complicates matters slightly. Bout-wise, Leila is in the groove, dispatching opponents with relative ease. And here's where things get murky.
The history of the middle east since the end of WW2 and the creation of the Israeli state doesn't require any analysis here. One aspect that's sometimes overlooked though, is the nature of the sporting boycott. A glance at the FIFA fixtures and you might be confused as to why Israel will be playing, say, Poland, while direct neighbours Jordan, for example, might be playing South Korea. Because since the early 90s, these bordering nations have been in separate confederations - Israel plays in Europe, and the other Middle Eastern countries in Asia. And it's not just football, hence the crux of this film.
There's real life precedent here. A couple of Iranian judokas have boycotted matches with Israelis in the past, whether of their own volition or more likely, due to a diktat from on high. As Leila rolls through the rounds, so does Shani, potentially setting up a meeting in the later stages, maybe even in the medal rounds. Maryam gets a call from the Iran Judo Federation telling her to withdraw Leila, fake an injury or something. The peril is clear, as threats are applied, at home and in Tbilisi. Families, reputations, livelihoods - all fair game for the Iranian government.
It's a top idea to plonk this religio-political thriller in a sports film. The metaphors are clear to see but the outcome doesn't necessarily follow the sports film formula, of this I'll say no more. The leads are excellent, we're swept along with the tension, both on the tatami mats and at home in Tehran. There's a docudrama feel to the film, it's shot in stark monochrome, presented in 4:3 ratio and is filled with overhead dolly shots and frenetic judo match sequences.
Socially, and taken as fact, the Iranian institutions' behaviour is beyond the pale, but it might be fair to note that the IOC and the IJF (International Judo Federation) lifted the four-year ban on Iran's athletes in 2022. Obviously, this doesn't preclude 'injuries' but I guess the day an Iranian faces an Israeli in competition will be the litmus test. Fascinating geo-politics wrapped up in a grunt and toss flick. Well worth a watch.
Tatami is screening at the Somerville Auditorium UWA from Feb 10 - 16 as part of the Perth Festival.
See also:
More political sports shenanigans in Ashutosh Gowariker's cricket epic Lagaan (2001), and the story of the 1954 football World Cup final is told in Sönke Wortmann's The Miracle of Bern (2003).
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