Guests leaving the premiere of Atropia at the IFC Theater quickly knew they’d arrived at the right after-party spot Monday night: an LED-screen truck featuring a huge image of Chloë Sevigny was parked outside the AIA New York Center for Architecture. The venue had been completely redesigned to reflect the world of Atropia, the debut film from writer-director Hailey Benton Gates. The film, starring Alia Shawkat as an actress in a military simulation of a Middle Eastern village, inspired a party that felt like a simulation within a simulation – a quirky, stylish, and multi-level experience that began with a photo op in front of a porta-potty. Shawkat, Gates, and Sevigny all wore Miu Miu, which originally produced the Atropia short film as part of its Women’s Tales series and also co-sponsored the after-party along with New York Magazine.
The downstairs area was transformed into a vibrant marketplace, hosting celebrity chef Hawa Hassan and promoting her new cookbook, Setting a Place for Us. The book features recipes influenced by the food of countries affected by war and displacement, including dishes like kebabs, shawarma, and falafel from Yemen and Iraq. Guests enjoyed abundant platters of dates and nuts, while Abbi Jacobson relaxed on a couch and New York editor David Haskell spoke with Callum Turner, her co-star from Atropia. Later, Turner went upstairs to greet his fiancée, Dua Lipa, who looked stunning in a brown fur coat. The couple playfully posed for photos in front of an architectural display, a fitting nod to their connection with the Center for Architecture.
When Gates appeared on the balcony overlooking the crowd, much like a scene from Evita, Shawkat playfully shouted, “Speech! Speech!” Gates thanked everyone for coming and then introduced Zahra Alzubaidi, a talented musician who performs various styles of Arabic music and also appears in the film. After a rush to the stage for Alzubaidi’s performance, DJ Fursa took over the music for the rest of the evening. Arian Moayed from Succession also attended the celebration.
The party was in full swing, with guests enjoying cocktails featuring Yola Mezcal – drinks like the playfully named “Exploding Mule.” The energy in the room was already high when Dua Lipa arrived, but it reached another level when Rama Duwaji, wife of New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, entered. Everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of her – quickly becoming known as “America’s First Lady” among the attendees – and people felt it was their duty to show their enthusiastic support.
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2025-12-10 00:04