Reminiscent of “The Truman Show,” “Atropia” is an immersive comedy showcasing the back of sets, control panels and 2000s-era ugly green screens. It’s full of veterans, military personnel, new soldiers ...

Of course, Atropia is meant to be even more immersive than a film set (the props department is proud of their pungency, which includes the ability to create the smell of burning flesh), but Gates ...

Sundance Comedy ‘Atropia’ is One of the Craziest True Stories You’ve Never Heard Hailey Gates' feature directorial debut is a messy, sexy satire based on an insane (and authentic) military ...

Sundance Film Festival ‘Atropia’ Review: Alia Shawkat Trains Troops Assigned to a Fake Iraqi Town in a Self-Reflexive War Comedy That Peters Out Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival on Jan 26, 2025.

“Atropia” follows an aspiring actress at a military role-playing facility who falls for a soldier cast as an insurgent, their genuine emotions threatening to derail the performance. Shot at a ...

Set in 2006, Atropia takes place at the titular U.S. military training ground in the California desert, where actors role-play as villagers in countries where the government plans to invade.

Atropia, Hailey Gates ’ scattered debut feature, is based on a city invented by the American military to train cadets. That the United States erects role-playing facilities tasked with ...