Balkan Competition

MADE IN EU Bulgaria-Germany-Czechia, 2025, 109 min, color

Iva works in a clothing factory in rural Bulgaria, battling a persistent yet mysterious illness. When it is revealed that she is the first case of Covid in her small town, the news spirals into an endless j’accuse – first from the factory owners, eager to shift responsibility, then from her co-workers, her son, and eventually the entire community, despite the fact that Iva hasn’t left the town in years. As the first victims of the virus emerge, Iva’s public demonisation escalates, and she is quickly turned into a social outcast.

Director Stephan Komandarev returns with a reflection on aggressive capitalism – another gripping, timely and fierce portrait of the exploited, all made in the EU.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

Venice ’25 – Armani Beauty Audience Award Nomination, Spotlight section

Gijon ’25 – Audience Award, Best Film

Golden Rose ’25 – Grand Prize for Feature Film, Best Actress Award for Gergana Pletnyova, Youth Jury Award.

Stephan Komandarev

Born in 1966 in Sofia. Stephan graduated in Film & TV directing at the New Bulgarian University (1999). His works include award-wining feature and documentary films. He is a lecturer at the Film Department of the New Bulgarian University, Sofia (since 2008). He is a 2011 EAVE graduate and a Member of the European Film Academy, Bulgarian Film Directors’ Association and Bulgarian Film Producers’ Association.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY

1999 Dogs' Home
2001 The Way of Harmony – docu
2002 Bread Over the Fence – docu
2003 Alphabet of Hope – docu
2008 The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner
2010 The Town of Badante Women - docu
2014 The Judgement
2017 Directions
2018 An Unnecessary Hero - docu
2019 Rounds
2023 Blaga’s Lessons
2025 Made in EU

DIRECTOR

Stephan Komandarev

SCRIPT

Stephan Komandarev, Simeon Ventsislavov

CAMERA

Vesselin Hristov

CAST

Gergana Pletnyova, Todor Kotsev, Gerasim Georgiev, Anastasia Ingilizova, Ivaylo Hristov, Ivan Barnev

PRODUCERS

Stephan Komandarev, Katya Trichkova, Eike Goreczka, Christoph Kukula, Pavel Strnad

PRODUCTION

Argo Film Ltd., 42film GmbH, Negativ Film Productions

Balkan Competition

MADE IN EU Bulgaria-Germany-Czechia, 2025, 109 min, color

PROGRAM

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MADE IN EU Bulgaria-Germany-Czechia, 2025, 109 min, color

Stephan Komandarev

MADE IN EU Bulgaria-Germany-Czechia, 2025, 109 min, color

PROGRAM

Other movies from section

WHITES WASH AT NINETY

GOD WILL NOT HELP

ЕARLY WINTER

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MADE IN EU Bulgaria-Germany-Czechia, 2025, 109 min, color

Stephan Komandarev

MADE IN EU Bulgaria-Germany-Czechia, 2025, 109 min, color

PROGRAM

Other movies from section

WHITES WASH AT NINETY

GOD WILL NOT HELP

ЕARLY WINTER

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