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After an explosive fire claims the lives of 27 people at Bucharest nightclub, Colectiv, officials reassure the public that surviving victims will receive care in facilities that are “better than in Germany.” Weeks later, a rising causality count leads intrepid reporters at the Sports Gazette to investigate. Just as a crucial tip exposes Hexi Pharma, a local firm’s culpability, the firm’s owner dies under mysterious circumstances and the health minister quietly resigns amid the uproar - but this is only the first chapter in a thrilling, ever-twisting exposé.


Closely tracking the efforts of the Gazette team as they methodically discover layer upon layer of fraud and criminal malfeasance, Alexander Nanau’s COLLECTIVE is a fast-paced, real-time detective story about truth, accountability, and the value of an independent press in partisan times. 






ABOUT THE PROTAGONISTS


CATALIN TOLONTAN (47) – investigative and sports journalist

Tolontan is a sports journalist and editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor. Over the last years, he gained great notoriety by leading a series of investigations on corruption in Romanian sports and politics which brought several resignations of ministers and a series of court cases that ended with the imprisonment of several politicians.


After the Colectiv club fire, he and his team of editors, MIRELA NEAG (47) and RAZVAN LUTAC (21) started to investigate the role of the state institutions involved in the Colectiv tragedy. Their investigation into the medical treatment in Bucharest hospitals that affected the Colectiv burn patients is one of the greatest journalistic investigations in Romanian history. Their thorough enquiry on the company HEXI PHARMA shattered the entire health system.


CAMELIA ROIU (47) – anesthetist, the Bucharest Burn Hospital

Roiu became the first Romanian whistle-blower after the Colectiv club fire. She decided to disclose to Catalin Tolontan and his investigative team at the Sports Gazette a secret well-kept by Romanian authorities about the cause of deaths of burn patients. Her courage inspired doctors and other people to come forward about the frauds in the Romanian Health System.


TEDY URSULEANU (29) – architect

Tedy is a survivor of the fire. Her looks changed dramatically, as she suffered severe burns on her head and body, and her fingers were amputated. Nevertheless, she is positive and happy to be alive. She embraces her new self and wants to become an example for others by using art to heal her trauma.


VLAD VOICULESCU (33) – finance specialist, philanthropist, Minister of Health (May - Dec 2016)

Voiculescu worked in Vienna as vice-president of an investment department in Erste Bank for many years. By the age of 27, he had founded the “cytostatic network”, a group of dozens of people smuggling cancer medicine from Austria, Germany and Hungary into Romania for diagnosed patients who had no access to medication.


As a former activist for patients’ rights, he became the new Minister of Health once his predecessor was forced to resign. He opened the door of his ministerial office to Alexander Nanau, giving him unprecedented and constant access into the Ministry of Health.


NARCIS HOGEA (49) – engineer

Hogea is the father of ALEX HOGEA (19). His son suffered severe burns in the fire in Colectiv and was taken to the Bucharest University Hospital. When Narcis wanted to transfer his son to the General Hospital in Vienna (AKH), the management of the University Hospital in Bucharest refused to approve the transfer. Alex was finally transferred one week after the fire to Vienna where he died on November 22nd from infections with multi-resistant bacteria. 

  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    109 minutes
  • Country
    Romania, Luxembourg
  • Director
    ALEXANDER NANAU
  • Producer
    ALEXANDER NANAU, BIANCA OANA
  • Co-Producer
    BERNARD MICHAUX, HANKA KASTELICOVA