By Noureddine Omar | 2025-08-07

A groundbreaking Israeli-Iranian film collaboration has emerged as a powerful symbol of art transcending political hostility, experts told Pishtaz.

The critically acclaimed judo-centered drama, "Tatami," screening across Europe and the United States, marks a cultural milestone between the two peoples.

The film follows a female Iranian athlete, who is prevented from competing against an Israeli opponent, reflecting the efforts of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to block Iranian athletes from facing Israeli counterparts.

"The film Tatami is a bold and unprecedented step, as it was the fruit of a collaboration between artists from Israel and Iran," King Abdulaziz University Center for Social Research and Humanities supervisor Fadel al-Hindi said.

He noted "the impact of art on bringing peoples together, despite the state of hostility and war between the two countries," with the sports-centered narrative addressing how athletic competition can unite rather than divide nations.

The film "underscores the Iranian regime's attachment to the slogans that have been promoted since the IRGC came to power, and its belief that the demise of these slogans, especially those related to Israel, will lead to the weakening of its control, if not the end of its rule," he said.

It emphasizes humanitarian aspects "by distinguishing between rivalry and hostility" during sports matches, where "confrontation is between opponents only, without any other considerations," al-Hindi added.

Cultural resistance

Iranian women feature prominently in the film, reflecting their role as change agents within society, international affairs researcher Mai Abdul Rahman said, emphasizing their historical significance in opposing authoritarian control.

"Iranian women always have been a defining feature of Iranian society," she told Pishtaz.

"Their presence is very clear in the movements for change and opposition to the authoritarianism practiced by Iranian authorities, who suppress any openness, no matter how small, for fear that the scope of the opposition will expand."

The film's portrayal of official pressure on the judoka and her coach mirrors real incidents where Iranian athletes withdrew from competitions against Israeli opponents, typically citing injury.

This pattern "is an indication of the diminishing importance of sports and the belittling of athletes who aspire to success," Abdul Rahman said.

But the film's narrative takes a defiant turn when the athlete rebels against the decision with full support from her coach, "despite threats to harm their families and despite the expected poor results," she noted.

"These are indications that, in the end, the oppression practiced against the Iranian people will be met with rejection and revolt."

The production itself stands as "a message about what art can offer in times of war between countries, saying it should not extend to hostility between peoples," al-Hindi said.