site.btaTwo Bulgarian Films Selected for 49th Gothenburg Film Festival

Two Bulgarian films have been selected for the programme of the 49th Gothenburg Film Festival in Sweden, which will take place from January 23 to February 1, 2026, according to information published by the Bulgarian Embassy in Stockholm.

The Gothenburg Festival, which the Embassy described as the largest in the Scandinavian countries, will screen a total of 260 films during its 49th edition. Among them are Made in EU, directed by Stefan Komandarev, and Truth or Dare, a documentary film by Tonislav Hristov.

Made in EU is scheduled to be screened on January 23, 24 and 26, as well as on February 1, while Truth or Dare will be shown on January 27, 28, 29 and 30.

This year’s festival is held under the theme “Truth,” focusing on the ways cinema explores the boundaries between fact and fiction. According to the organizers, film provides a space in which truth can be revealed through diverse approaches, ranging from documentary storytelling to fictional narratives that may sometimes convey reality more effectively than factual accounts.

Truth or Dare examines intimacy and human relationships in the digital age, raising questions about the limits between private life, emotions and technology. The documentary is shot by Orlin Ruevski and Alexander Stanishev, with music by Petar Dundakov. Editing is by Andreas Jonsson Hey and Tonislav Hristov, sound design by Sander Stenfelt Olsen, and color grading and graphics by Todor G. Todorov. The film had its world premiere at the 29th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival in the Czech Republic.

Made in EU tells the story of a seamstress from a small town and her son. The protagonist, Iva, is accused of triggering a pandemic outbreak of Covid in her community and becomes a scapegoat for a system that has profited from her labor for years. The film was shot in Haskovo, Dimitrovgrad, Madan and Rudozem, and features a cast including Gergana Pletnyova, Todor Kotsev, Gerasim Georgiev–Gero, Ivaylo Hristov, Anastasia Ingilizova, Ivan Barnev, Ovanes Torosyan and Martina Peneva.