Regional Competition

The Seamstresses

Biljana Garvanlieva
Screening time  
01.03. / Utorak, 12:00 - 14:00 Dvorana 2  
03.03. / Četvrtak, 20:00 - 22:00 Dvorana 4  
04.03. / Petak, 14:00 - 16:00 Dvorana 4  
Talented people like artists or writers who stayed have one choice only: to work as seamstresses.

Eriela, Beti and Vesna are seamstresses in the small Macedonian town of Stip. If they wanted to afford one of their handmade blouses, it would cost them a month’s salary. While the women are fully employed, their men are less fortunate and find themselves unemployed after the collapse of communism. A situation with a lot of potential conflict for the couples. The men find it hard to be dependent financially on their women, when they used to proudly provide for the family. Alongside the textile industry the film tells the parable of the children of Macedonia after the collapse of communism and takes a look behind the curtains of globalization.

Biljana Garvanlieva

Biljana Garvanlieva was born in Skopje, Macedonia. After her studies at the Philology Faculties and Faculty of Drama Arts in Skopje, she received a DAAD scholarship and continued studying in Tübingen and Berlin. After working as a radio journalist and playwright for theatre, she acted as director. Her debut film ‘Macedonia Dream – A Girl and Her Accordion’ won the most important German Short Film Award Golden Lola as well as the German Axel-Springer-Award for young journalists. The film received a Special Mention Award at ZagrebDox festival and many more international film awards. Her second film, award-winning ‘Tobacco Girl’ was screened at 6th ZagrebDox.

General sponsor

Shivackite

Germany, Macedonia
2012, 26', color, video

Directed by:
Biljana Garvanlieva

Screenplay by:
Biljana Garvanlieva

Cinematography:
Dimo Popov, Manuel Zimmer

Edited by:
André Nier

Music:
Robert Rabenalt

Producers:
Ognen Antov, Christian Beetz

Produced by:
Dream Factory Macedonia, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion GmbH & Co.

Festivals & Awards:

Awards

Sarajevo Film Festival 2010 - The Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Documentary Film