“Made in EU”, interview with director Stephan Komandarev

September 1, 2025

Director of "Made in EU" Stephan Komandarev on exploitation, workers dignity and the truth behind the labels

"Made in EU", interview with director Stephan Komandarev Gianluca De Angelis

Podcast | Download

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.

Written by: Gianluca De Angelis

venice spotlight

Guest

Stephan Komandarev

Film

Made in EU

Festival

Mostra del Cinema di Venezia

Rate it

Channel posts

Sophie Thatcher in Her Private Hell by Nicolas Winding Refn

Interview

“Her Private Hell”, interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn

October 1, 2026

Nicolas Winding Refn on Her Private Hell, his first feature in ten years, in Italian cinemas from October 1.

Interview

Interview with Torsten Frehse, Co-Director and Founder EWIP-European Work in Progress

September 28, 2026 2

Discover how EWIP - European Work in Progress connects European and African films with top buyers, boosting distribution and festival success.

News

Festa del Cinema di Roma

Rome Film Fest 2026: the program bringing the world to Rome

September 25, 2026

Rome is once again expanding the scope of its Film Fest: thirteen days of cinema, international premieres, renowned auteurs, emerging talent, series, documentaries, and cinematic heritage—with Javier Bardem, Paolo Genovese, and Monica Vitti at the heart of an edition that …

Interview

Venice Production Bridge

Interview avec Pascal Diot, directeur du Venice Production Bridge

September 20, 2026

Pascal Diot, directeur du Venice Production Bridge, sur 15 ans d'évolution et le nouveau VPB Location Market.

LISTEN

“Made in EU”, interview with director Stephan Komandarev

Director of "Made in EU" Stephan Komandarev on exploitation, workers dignity and the truth behind the labels

The interview

Plot

Channel posts

“Her Private Hell”, interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn

Interview with Torsten Frehse, Co-Director and Founder EWIP-European Work in Progress

Rome Film Fest 2026: the program bringing the world to Rome

Interview avec Pascal Diot, directeur du Venice Production Bridge

Recent Posts