Atropia, a film by Hailey Gates
Manhattan Premiere
Q&A with filmmaker Hailey Gates moderated by Special Guest
Fayruz is the star thespian of Atropia, a fake country the US military has devised for immersive training. Though she takes great pride in her work, Fayruz believes her tenure here is but a stepping stone on the way to an illustrious acting career in Hollywood. She is tasked with preparing a young battalion for cultural interactions they may face when they are deployed to Iraq, but rather than helping to solidify her identity, this artificial Iraq has subsumed her reality.
When she meets Abu Dice, an experienced soldier playing the role of an insurgent, their romance quickly threatens their respective ambitions and questions their allegiance to the military and Atropia’s purpose. Set on the eve of Bush’s “surge”, the bloodiest year of the war, Atropia is a comedic love story cast against a uniquely absurd American backdrop that is at once horrifying and mundane.
ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL:
The Downtown Festival is a celebration of emerging and established independent artists across film, music, art, and culture in New York City. The festival’s film program runs October 10–18, with premieres & anniversary screenings at Roxy Cinema, and additional events, including live music, artist talks, and special programs, taking place at venues across Lower Manhattan. Founded by filmmaker Rebekah Sherman-Myntti, The Downtown Festival is an artists-for-artists platform, dedicated to independence, discovery, and genuine cultural exchange.
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