In Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi’s Tatami, Iranian judo champion Leila (Arienne Mandi) is in the middle of a competition in Tbilisi, Georgia when she’s informed that she must fake an injury to forfeit in order to avoid potentially facing an Israeli opponent. Determined to still compete, Leila pushes to stay in the game, facing pressure from her coach Maryam (Amir Ebrahimi) as both are reminded by the Iranian regime of the consequences of not doing as they’re told.
Awards Buzz spoke with Nattiv about working with Ebrahimi to overcome the things the governments of their countries taught them growing up. Watch the video above to hear about the inspiration for the film and finding their star in Mandi.
Tatami is screening at the 2025 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.
