Israeli directed movie won two prizes at 36th Tokyo International Film Festival

Tatami, a movie directed by Israeli Guy Nattiv and Iranian Zar Amir Ebrahimi, won two prizes at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival: the Special Jury Prize and Best Actress for Ebrahimi, who starred in the film as well as co-directing it. 

The movie marks the first time an Iranian and an Israeli have co-directed a film. Nattiv co-wrote the screenplay with Iranian screenwriter Elham Erfani. Nattiv’s previous film was Golda, a movie about Golda Meir during the 1973 Yom Kippur War starring Helen Mirren. Ebrahimi won Best Actress at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for Holy Spider. Tatami is her directorial debut. 

Tatami tells the story of an Iranian judoka (Arian Mandi) and her coach (Ebrahimi), who go to the World Judo Championship. When the judoka is scheduled to compete against an Israeli opponent, the Iranian regime orders her to fake an injury and throw the match, and she faces a dilemma: Defy her government and risk her family’s freedom, or fight for the gold. It was inspired by a true story and also stars Jaime Ray Newman, one of its producers. 

Winning the prizes

Nattiv said, in a statement: “Precisely now that everything is burning, and painful, and seared in all this darkness, we received the news from Tokyo that brought us, Jews and exiled Iranians, some light. 

“Thank you to the Tokyo Festival, the president of the jury, Wim Wenders, and his team for being able to distinguish our little film amidst world chaos, which tells about the struggle for humanity, freedom, and equality and is a tribute to the millions of women who fight every day for the freedom to live.” 

In the wake of the October 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel, many Iranian dissidents who have fled their country have spoken up to voice their sympathy for Israel. 

Tatami was produced by Keshet Studios, White Lodge Productions, New Native Pictures, WestEnd Films, and United King Films. WestEnd Films is distributing Tatami around the world, and United King Films will distribute the film in Israel. The movie is currently scheduled to be released in 2024, to coincide with the Olympics, which will take place in Paris. 

The Tokyo International Film Festival has given top prizes to many Israeli films in the past, among them Nir Bergman’s two films, Intimate Grammar and Broken Wings, and Eran Kolirin’s The Band’s Visit.