"TATAMI" Director Zahra Amir: Why I made a film with an Israeli director who I was taught was my enemy [Director's Interview Vol.477]

The 2019 World Judo Championships were held in Japan. The film "TATAMI" is based on an incident that happened to a male athlete representing Iran. Iranian female judo player Leila Hosseini advances in international competitions, but as an Israeli athlete advances in the same weight class, her coach Maryam receives a ruthless message from the Iranian government. The message is to "make Leila withdraw before facing the Israeli athlete in the finals." However, Leila has her sights set on winning the tournament, and she ignores the instructions and continues to step onto the mat. Soon, Leila's family, who are cheering her on in Iran, are in danger...

What makes "TATAMI" groundbreaking is that it was made by co-directors from Israel and Iran. How were creators from two countries, who are politically at odds with each other, able to team up on one film? The Iranian director is Zahra Amir, who won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for " The Spider's Web " (22) and also has a career as an actor. Zahra became involved in this film, which is also heavily critical of the Iranian government, because she defected from her native Iran. We connected her with her current base in Paris, France, and interviewed her.

Index

• The doubts about whether to accept the director's offer overlapped with the role he was playing.
• Film is art. I don't want to force a theme on people.
• The twisted reality of being criticized in France

The doubts about whether to accept the director's offer overlapped with the role he was playing.

Q: What were your genuine feelings towards Israel?

Amir: From an early age, we were taught that Israel was the enemy. That is an indisputable fact.

Q: You received an offer to make this film from Israeli director Guy Nattiv.

Amir: Yes. I was first offered the role of Maryam, the Iranian women's team coach who trains the main character, Leila. When I read the script, I felt that Maryam should have more screen time, so I asked the screenwriter to expand her role. During that process, Guy must have felt that it would be too difficult to film a film about Iranian women on his own. My role expanded to include other things such as casting, and I started helping out while wondering, "Wait a minute. Can I do that?", and then I was asked to co-direct.

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Q: Did you easily accept the role of co-director?

Amir: Not at all. I was worried that if I were to direct and make a film with an Israeli, my family and friends back in Iran might be in danger. I thought it was a line I shouldn't cross (to not only appear as an actor but also to take on the role of director). At the same time, I realized that this was the same as the conflict that the character Maryam was facing.

Q: What does that mean?

Amir: Maryam, who appears in the film, was in the same situation as Leila about 10 years ago when she was a representative athlete for Iran, and was forced to withdraw from the tournament at the country's instruction. She still carries the regret of that experience in her heart. Will she stick to her own will to stop her student from withdrawing this time, or will she once again simply follow her country's orders? Her doubts overlap with my own, as I wondered whether to accept the role of coach... It took time and was a difficult decision, but I decided to accept the role of co-coach. I'm sorry that I kept Guy waiting so long.

Film is art. I don't want to force a theme on people.