On Friday night a swarm of [Miu Miu](https://www.miumiu.com/en?cc=US) clad cool girls sparkled along the entry of the [Vista Theater](https://www.vintagecinemas.com/vista/) in all it’s Egyptian deco glory. It was an easy mix of east side bohemian and Hollywood brain, an overall array of brilliant forward thinking women making a change in the world of entertainment and art. The nights hot ticket was a screening of Hailey Gates’ short film “SHAKO MAKO,“ the 17th installment of the Miu Miu Women’s Tales. The room of crystal heeled girls included Hailey Gates, Alia Shawkat, Miley Cyrus, Amandla Stenberg, Pom Klementieff, Rainey Qualley, Bonnie Wright, Thomasin McKenzie, Mamie Gummer, Lykke Li, The Haim sisters, Kilo Kish, Kim Gordon, Miranda July, Langley Fox, Natalie Joos, Brooke Wise, and so many more.
Starring Alia Shawkat as Farah, the film begins with a dramatic scene which sees Farah, an Iraqi bread seller, witness a terrorist attack on a group of soldiers before the audience is informed that the entire scene is not as it seems. Her reality is that of a melancholy character actress on the training grounds of a US army base. While her aspirations for the life of a “real actor“ is possibly in danger once the Army General sees her forbidden audition tape. In the Q&A following the director and actress spoke of the ways which the story confronted the conversation of war, islamophobia and ethnic stereotyping. After the screening guests were shuttled to neighboring hot spot [Cafe Stella](http://cafestella.com) where cocktails streamed and the party continued on into the late hours. A magnificent ending to a night of beauty, art, and cultural conversation.
* * *
Photos courtesy of Miu Miu
.jpeg)
