Stefan Komandarev, one of the most successful Bulgarian directors, presented his latest film 'Made in EU' at last year's Venice Film Festival. The film explores the impact of economic crises on individuals and highlights the dark realities that can be hidden behind the 'Made in EU' label. The protagonist of the story, a seamstress named Iva Doněva, works in a textile factory in a small Bulgarian town and faces harsh working conditions, such as being denied sick leave by her doctor, forcing her to use fever-reducing medication to continue working.

In the film, Iva's story is representative of the plight faced by many in the industry, where financial bonuses are awarded only if a worker does not miss a single day of work in a month. This grueling reality is compounded by the fact that most actors in the film are not professional but are actual seamstresses, adding authenticity to the portrayal. Komandarev reveals in an interview with Deník N the motivation behind creating such a stark depiction of the textile industry and reflects on his journey from medicine to film-making.

The film, produced in collaboration with Czech producer Pavel Strnad and Negativ Film Productions, will be shown at the 'Jeden svět' festival in the Czech Republic, organized by the company Aerofilms. The film aims to raise awareness about the challenging conditions that many workers face under the EU label, sparking conversations about labor rights and the realities of production in the global economy.