Hailey Gates' 'Atropia' Explores U.S. Military Training Through Satirical Lens

The Sundance debut blends comedy and critique, following Alia Shawkat as an aspiring actress in a fictional war simulation.

Hailey Gates' feature debut, 'Atropia,' expands on her 2020 short 'Shako Mako,' exploring a fictional U.S. military training facility designed to simulate Middle Eastern war zones.
Alia Shawkat stars as Fayruz, an Iraqi-American actress navigating the blurred lines between performance and reality in the immersive military exercise.
The film critiques Hollywood's complicity in perpetuating stereotypes and the U.S. military's use of entertainment to support its objectives, though its satire often lacks depth.
A romantic subplot between Shawkat's character and a soldier, played by Callum Turner, adds emotional layers but detracts from the film's sharper critiques.
While praised for its unique premise and Shawkat's performance, critics note the film's scattered focus and inconsistent tone, limiting its impact as a biting satire.