“We were Iranians and Israelis together. We felt like brothers and sisters.” – Guy Nattiv
Directed by Academy Award winner Guy Nattiv, who grew up in Israel, and Zar Amir, who is Iranian, “Tatami” is the best film of 2025. Shot in lush, inky black and white and framed not in classic cinema letterbox but rather a square format, like the tatami mats used in Judo, the movie breathlessly follows Leila, an Iranian judoka, as she competes for the world title in the World Judo Championships. With rapid cuts and a heart-pounding score, Leila, played by Iranian-American actress Arienne Mandi, slays on the mat, winning match after match. Her longtime coach Maryam (played by co-director Amir) can taste the gold until orders come down from Iran’s Supreme Leader. Leila is to fake an injury and throw the tournament, no discussion. The authoritarian government refuses to have Leila compete against an Israeli, which looks likely, as it doesn’t recognize Israel as a country.
Part “Rocky” (the Judo battles are nail-biting and beautifully choreographed), part “Three Days of the Condor” (shadowy spies sent from the Supreme Leader threaten Leila to drop out with a video clip of her father who they’ve detained), “Tatami” is a political thriller set in the strange, fascinating world of female Judo. Her face wrapped in a hijab, Leila’s large brown eyes say everything: pride, anxiety, longing, fear, defiance. Leila goes up against Iran and her scared-to-the-bones coach (played with brilliant understatement by co-director Amir) and stays in the competition. The last half of “Tatami” races like a rollercoaster as the clock ticks to the final bout on the mat. Arienne Mandi, who grew up in Los Angeles with an Iranian father, should score an Oscar nomination for her mesmerizing performance. She is bound to become a big star. Mandi mostly speaks Farsi in the film. “It was such an honor and lifelong dream of mine to be able to do an entire project in my father’s native tongue,” she said at the film’s premiere at Lincoln Center. “It was also incredibly challenging. My brain was a bit scrambled at times, but it was so rewarding.”
War between Israel and Iran erupted just the day before “Tatami” was released in theaters. “Since we were little kids in Israel, they taught us that Iranians hate us and want to kill us. They said the same things to the Iranian people,” Nattiv said. “This is the first time an Iranian and Israeli director have come together like this on a project. We were Iranians and Israelis together. We felt like brothers and sisters. We love the same food, the same music. We have the same vibe.” The fact that “Tatami” was even made is historical and groundbreaking. “It’s a great feeling,” said Amir with pride. “And we have this beautiful movie.”
