WESTEND AND KESHET STUDIOS RELEASE FIRST-LOOK IMAGE FROM GUY NATTIV and ZAR AMIR-EBRAHIMI’S

UNTITLED JUDO PROJECT 

Judo (working title) is co-directed by Academy Award® winner Guy Nattiv (Skin, Golda) and actress Zar Amir-Ebrahimi (Best Actress at Cannes for Holy Spider, Shayda), and co-written by Guy Nattiv and Elham Erfani (The Case of Sacrifice).  

WestEnd reveals a first-look image of Arienne Mandi and Zar Amir-Ebrahimi in this political thriller, which follows an Iranian female judoka and her coach as they face life-changing decisions during the Judo World Championships. 

Judo is the first feature film to be co-directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker - at a time when the Iranian government still criminalizes any contact with Israelis, and state violence against women is amplified. Their artistic collaboration is, in itself, an extraordinary act of defiance, as well as being one designed to shine a spotlight on the extreme regime currently governing Iran. 

This powerful yet intimate feature stars Arienne Mandi (The L Word: Generation Q) and 2022 Cannes Best Actress winner and co-director Zar Amir-Ebrahimi in the lead roles, alongside Jaime Ray Newman (Dopesick, Little Fires Everywhere), Nadine Marshall (The Silent Twins, Small Axe), Mehdi Bajestani (Holy Spider), Lirr Katz and Ash Goldeh. 

Judo is a thrilling portrait of Iranian female judoka Leila (Mandi) and her coach Maryam (Zar Amir-Ebrahimi), who travel to the Judo World Championship, intent on bringing home Iran’s first gold medal. Midway through the competition, they receive an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic ordering Leila to fake an injury and lose. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake, Leila is faced with an impossible choice: feign injury and comply with the Iranian regime as Maryam implores her to do, or defy them both and fight on, for the gold. 

Judo is produced by Adi Ezroni (Save Yourselves!) and Keshet Studios’ Mandy Tagger Brockey (A Late Quartet) alongside Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman from New Native Pictures. Other crew includes Director of Photography Todd Martin (Best Cinematography winner at Tribeca 2021 for The Novice) and editor Yuval Orr (Strangers, Skin). The film is produced by Keshet Studios, the US production arm of Keshet International, in association with White Lodge Productions, New Native Pictures, Maven Pictures, WestEnd Films, Tale Runners, and Sarke Studios.