MADE IN EU

Director Stephan Komandarev and scriptwriter Simeon Ventsislavov are no strangers to tackling social issues, having explored the lives of policemen and taxi drivers in previous films.

This time, they examine the poor workplace conditions of seamstresses in a small Bulgarian town. Inspired by true events at the Miziya clothing factory in Pleven in March 2020, Komandarev sought to convey a global story about exploitation and the unethical practices of European capitalism through an intimate lens. The drama draws parallels between the COVID-19 health crisis and the wider economic epidemic, provoking discussion about these interconnected issues. It raises questions about globalisation, the division between central and peripheral European countries, and presents unfair labour practices as a form of modern slavery.

Stylistically, the film relies on long tracking shots and restrictive framing, following characters in extended takes that heighten the sense of surveillance and suffocation, and using a 3:2 format in which squeezes characters into the frame or views them through other objects. Komandarev aims to bring more Bulgarian stories to a global audience and continue highlighting professions that rarely receive public attention. His next project follows the experiences of ambulance medics in Sofia.

Text: Mourad Touil

Thu 06.11. I 21:00 I WELTSPIEGEL SAAL 3 I original version with English and German subtitles

Fri 07.11. I 10:30 I WELTSPIEGEL SAAL 2 I original version with English and German subtitles