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As the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, the rest of the world watches the battles that play out between two rival countries. And the controversial drama Tatami offers viewers a closer look at how all-encompassing this conflict truly is.
Tatami travels to Georgia for the World Judo Championships. Iranian judoka Leila Hosseini (Arienne Mandi) is determined to win Iran’s first gold medal—and as she battles one competitor after another, it seems that it might just happen. But then her coach, Maryam (Zar Amir Ebrahimi), gets a call from the Iranian Judo Association, demanding that Leila fake an injury and withdraw from competition to prevent her from facing (and possibly losing to) the Israeli competitor in the final. Suddenly, the competition is about more than just judo—as both women fear for their families’ safety.
Though Maryam initially refuses to force Leila to step down, the calls continue to come in—each more threatening than the last. And when she finally pulls Leila aside to inform her of the association’s orders, both women find themselves faced with a life-changing decision. If Leila steps down, she’ll give up her chance at the championship title that she’s spent her life training to win. If she doesn’t, she risks her life, her coach’s life, and the lives of their families—even though neither competitor is guaranteed to make it to the final match.
While the story itself is quite simple—and the footage is all black and white—it’s a tense and emotional drama. Leila continues fighting through round after round, knowing that the pressure is great—and the danger to everyone around her is growing. Her husband and young son are forced to flee the country, and her parents are arrested—yet her husband pushes her to keep fighting, to refuse to be bullied into giving up on her dream.
More than just a sports drama, this is a story about politics and human rights. It’s sure to keep viewers holding their breath, unable to look away from the judo matches and the taut suspense, as this courageous character’s story plays out.
Though Tatami is a simple black-and-white film built on some familiar sports drama themes, there’s so much more at stake here than just a championship title or a gold medal. And that makes it an eye-opening story that’s especially relevant in the midst of the current Middle Eastern conflict.
You can stand up with Leila when Tatami expands to additional theaters on June 27, 2025.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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