EXCLUSIVE: Heretic has acquired world sales rights to Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev’s Made In EU ahead of its world premiere in the Spotlight section of the Venice Film Festival next week.

Screen can reveal the first trailer for the film above.

Made In EU follows a woman, played by Gergana Pletnyova, working in a clothing factory in rural Bulgaria. When she becomes the first case of Covid in her small town, a public demonisation begins that turns her into a social outcast.

The film is written by Komandarev and Simeon Ventsislavov, and produced by Komandarev, Katya Trichkova, Eike Goreczka, Christoph Kukula, Pavel Strnad, Simon Ofenloch, Bekir Yusuf Açiksöz, Önder Furkan Besli, Anna Maria Aslanoğlu and Zeynep Ekmekci.

Production companies are Bulgaria’s Argo Film, Germany’s 42film, the Czech Republic’s Negativ, and Turkey’s Ikinciyeni Film and Istos Film.

Backers on the film include the Bulgarian National Film Center, MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienforderung, the Czech Audiovisual Fund, ZDF/Arte, Bulgarian National TV and TRT Sinema.

Komandarev’s previous film Blaga’s Lessons won the Crystal Globe Grand Prix at Karlovy Vary, and was Bulgaria’s international feature Oscar entry for 2024.

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