EFF: Made in EU

Made in EU

Australian Premiere

“Komandarev crafts an engaging perspective that reminds us how quickly society can disconnect from its humanity when faced with untold tragedy.” – Next Best Picture

Iva works in a clothing factory in rural Bulgaria. It’s early 2020 and news reports describe a mysterious virus spreading throughout different parts of the world. When Iva catches a fever, she’s denied sick leave and instructed to continue working in the factory’s cramped, crowded conditions to keep up with demand. Eventually, Iva tests positive for COVID-19, and soon, the virus spreads throughout the community. When news emerges that Iva may have been the town’s ‘patient zero’, everyone turns on her – the factory owners, her co-workers and even her own son.

In the vein of social realist filmmakers like Ken Loach or the Dardenne brothers, director Stephan Komandarev provides a searing indictment on injustices in the textiles industry, the exploitation of cheap labour in Eastern Europe and overcrowded, unsafe working conditions. This is a gripping human thriller about our recent history, prejudices within the EU, the greed of late-stage capitalism and the ways power uses fear to keep the vulnerable in their place.

Festivals & Awards

Venice Film Festival 2025 – Nominee, Audience Award in Orizzonti Extra
Filmfest Hamburg 2025 – Official Selection
Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2025 – Official Selection
Golden Rose Bulgarian Feature Film Festival 2025 – Winner, Golden Rose for Best Feature and Youth Jury Award

Rating

Unclassified 18+

Duration

102 min

Country

Bulgaria, Germany, Czech Republic

Language

Bulgarian (English subtitles)

Cast

Gergana Pletnyova, Todor Kotsev, Gerasim Georgiev, Anastasia Ingilizova

Director

Stephan Komandarev

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