Inspired by a true story, the exciting fight of an Iranian judoka who refuses to give in to pressure from her country.
On the bus, there are only veiled women. They are athletes. They are Iranian judokas. Direction Tbilisi where the world championship is taking place. Does the headscarf match the kimono? On that, the experts are lost in conjecture. Leila intends to bring back a gold medal from Georgia. She is there for that. She wins, fight after fight. A problem arises: it is serious. She risks facing an Israeli rival. That is out of the question. The authorities of her country order her to give up. She only has to cheat, fake an injury. Stubborn refusal from the person concerned. Declare forfeit? You don’t think about it. She does not eat that bread. This does not suit Maryam, her trainer, who sees a squadron of reprisals descending on her. The two women oppose each other. In a rage, the young girl smashes her forehead against a mirror. Will the stitches hold?
Joan of Arc with a black belt
That’s not the only suspense that underlies this film with a passion, an intensity, an intelligence that knocks you to the mat. In Tehran, the family with whom she communicates by WhatsApp panics. She won’t budge. This case of conscience devours her from the inside. Protocol gets involved. Officials are fuming. Fear sets in. The threat lurks. The coach procrastinates, breaks down. It’s not about cowardice. It’s something else. The stakes are different. The blackmail has multiple facets. Two generations collide. A government emissary is dispatched to the scene. Leila stands up, resists, takes off her headscarf in front of the world. Rap music is playing in her headphones.
Also readZar Amir: “The film Tatami crosses all the red lines of the Iranian regime”
Actress Arienne Mandi is this bundle of nerves, a concentrate of rebellion. This spicy brunette has a steely gaze. She is Joan of Arc with a black belt. The dream has this price. Freedom is paid for with challenges. Tatamias Raging Bull was shot in ashen black and white. Slow motion is not uncommon. This anti-Rocky (although) will drag all hearts after him. Courage is in the spotlight. He is terribly photogenic.
Metropolitan Film
Based on a real episode, this film, with its quasi-documentary rigor, demonstrates great intelligence. It approaches politics from an unexpected angle. This gives it an uncommon force. Like the audience at the competitions, the viewer will be enthusiastic. Audacity is combined with the sound of randori, uchi-mata, this vocabulary that here rings out like a cry of revolt. Behind the camera, the Franco-Iranian actress of Nights of MashadZar Amir Ebrahimi (she plays Maryam here) and the Israeli director Guy Nattiv are up to their subject. They win hands down. They too deserve a medal. A new wind is blowing, over there, somewhere on the side of ancient Persia. This is the lesson provided by this feature film that seems as simple as the childhood of martial arts and that jumps at your throat. Ippon!
“Tatami.” Drama by Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv. With Arienne Mandi, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Ash Goldeh. Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes
The opinion of the Figaro: 3/4.
