Seamstresses October 17, 2008

When three young women - Dora, Katia, and Elena - leave their local town for the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, they hope to find respectable jobs. Initially, the three are forced to share a flat with a young couple and an aspiring musician and, as time passes, their illusions disappear. After a chance encounter, Katia finds employment as a waitress in a bar, and soon becomes involved with a pimp. With the help of her sexuality, she finds herself moving up in the world while her two friends are condemned to menial jobs.

By focussing on the relations between the three women, director Lyudmil Todorov stresses their friendship in the face of life's changes. While providing a critical commentary on the other face of the New Europe, the film retains an underlying optimism, with charming performances from Alexandra Surchadzhieva (Dora), Elen Koleva (Elena), and Violeta Markovska (Katia). If the social drama is based on real situations and events, the film is not scared to move in the direction of lyrical comedy and melodrama, to use honesty and charm - to please an audience.

Official Website: http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/seamstresses