During the 82nd edition of Venice International Film Festival we spoke with director Stephan Komandarev, director the film “Made in EU”, presented in Venice 82 in the Venezia Spotlight section. The film is an exploration of the bulgarian countryside, where a textile factory a woman struggles with an unknown disease. Once it’s discovered that it’s the first Covid case in the Country, her life becomes the outburst of a series of accusations that try to blame her for the poor working conditions of the factory itself.
The interview
During our interview with FRED Film Radio, our guest Stephan Komandarev expressed his thoughts on how aggressive capitalism can be, on how every workers deserve dignity and how to shed a light on the exploited workers of eastern Europe, that are hidden behind the apparently safe label “made in Europe”.
Plot
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. With a structure edging on social mystery drama and focusing on the unsung layers of the Covid pandemic, Cannes director and Karlovy Vary Crystal Globe winner Stephan Komandarev returns with a reflection on aggressive capitalism — another gripping, timely and fierce portrait of the exploited, all made in the EU.
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Listen Global Critics Venice Voice! Exclusive and thoughtful conversations with leading international film critics, and in-depth analysis of the most anticipated films of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.