Atropia Film Satirizes U.S. Military Training in Bold Sundance Debut

Hailey Gates’ debut feature film, Atropia, is making waves. The movie recently won an award at the Sundance Film Festival. It is now set for competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

The film is a sharp satire. It targets the military, the media, and the movie industry itself. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it blends surreal scenes with slapstick comedy.

Filling a Void in War Cinema for a New Generation

Gates felt a need for this project. She believes the “9/11 generation” lacks deep cinematic explorations of its wars. Great anti-war films emerged from the Vietnam era, she notes. The Iraq War period produced far fewer.

She points to a short list of directors. “It’s sort of Bigelow, Eastwood, Bigelow,” Gates explains. Many films from that time collaborated with the government. Her goal was to fill a strange and noticeable hole.

Behind the Scenes of a 19-Day Shoot

The film’s title comes from real military research. Gates discovered the name “Atropia” while looking into U.S. training sites. These sites are named to fight atrophy, a form of military poetry.

Production was remarkably fast. The entire movie was shot in just 19 days. This was on a movie ranch in California. Despite the tight schedule, Gates found it less chaotic than documentary work.

She was overwhelmed by the support. Seeing dozens of cars on the first morning was emotional. All these people showed up to bring her “stupid idea” to life.

Thought you’d like to know-

What is the film Atropia about?

Atropia is a satirical film about a military training facility. It prepares troops for deployment to fictional countries. The story critiques the military, media, and Hollywood.

Who stars in the movie?

The film features Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner. They lead the cast in this unconventional comedy. Their performances anchor the film’s shifting tones.

How was the film’s title chosen?

Gates found “Atropia” during her research into U.S. military bases. It is a fictional country name used in training exercises. The word relates to the Greek term for atrophy.

What was the filming process like?

The movie was completed in only 19 days. This is a very short schedule for a feature film. The shoot took place on a California ranch.

Why did Gates make this film?

She wanted to create an anti-war film for the 9/11 generation. Gates felt existing Iraq War movies were insufficient. She aimed to fill a gap in the cinematic landscape.