The film “Atropia”, produced by Luca Guadagnino, won the Jury Grand Prize at the Sundance Film Festival 2025. The film, which marks the directorial debut of Hailey Gates, is a war drama set in a fictional world designed by the American army for training troops. The film is set in and around Los Angeles and the Californian desert, and reflects on the effects of this cinematic fiction on real life.
The plot centers on Fayruz, an aspiring actress played by Alia Shawkat, who develops a romantic relationship with Abu Dice, a soldier who plays a rebel but longs to return to the front. The story, set during the Second Gulf War in 2006, questions the boundary between fiction and reality.
“Atropia” sheds light on the reality of military training centers in the United States that simulate real conflicts. However, the film transcends a simple war story, becoming a satire of the permanent conflicts that plague the country.
The inspiration behind the film came from Gates’ fascination with military training structures, which grew while living in southern California. Initially, she wanted to make a documentary about these places, but was denied by the army, leading to the creation of “Shako Mako”, a satirical short film.
“Atropia” is an audacious work that not only entertains but invites reflection on serious and current issues, demonstrating the potential of cinema to tell meaningful stories through an original and provocative lens.