EFF: Made in EU

This film is also showing at our sister cinemas, Classic Cinemas and Lido Cinemas

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