“Farah,” a bread seller, walks the streets of a Middle Eastern town, while an American military vehicle, surrounded by soldiers, slowly passes by. A moment’s silence. Then, a devastating explosion. Civilians are bloodied, wounded. The horrors of war… But nothing here is quite what it seems. In fact, “Farah” is a character played by an aspiring actress called Laila. And this isn’t Iraq, but a replica village erected on the Fort Irwin army base in California, used to train American troops before being sent abroad. Laila is frustrated: she believes her acting talents are being wasted away in this arid simulation, where female role-players are limited to background roles. Therefore, she tries to escape from this situation, filming a “forbidden” audition. But the situation will change…
Shako Mako is the 17th commission from Miu Miu Women’s Tales directed by Hailey Gates (Twin Peakes, A Space Program) and was previewed at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles on January 25, 2019.
Written and directed by Hailey Gates
Starring Sara Boutine, Alia Shawkat, Cristian Valle
Director of photography Adam Newport – Berra