COLECTIV/ COLLECTIVE
Romania, Germany, Luxembourg, 2019, 115 minutes, Colour.
Catalin Tolontan, Vlad Voiculescu, Tedy Ursuleanu.
Directed by Alexandre Nanau.
A documentary with many nominations and awards. A number of commentators suggest that it is one of the best films about investigative journalism. It certainly keeps the attention.
This is a Romanian story. The title, with its overtones of Soviet collectivism and society, also refers to a nightclub in Bucharest where, in 2015, a fire broke out, no fire exits which led to 27 victims in the fire and 37 for the victims dying in hospital from burns. At one point, some footage of the actual fire and panic is included in the film.
The first part of the film and the director’s investigation focuses on a journalist from the Sports Gazette who begins to investigate the causes of the fire and its consequences. There are many scenes in the press room is and offices, the journalist, Catalin Tolontan, seen working with his colleagues, discussions, phone calls, contacts, publishing… And, there are many sequences of press conferences with: Tolontan asking questions. And, Romanian journalist, at least in this context, ask some very demanding questions – demanding Lee.
One of the main targets of the questions is the Health Minister. What emerges is, and dramatised with footage of protests and demonstrations against the ministry and the authorities, and with comments and questions by parents and relatives of those who died, is a mess of political and social corruption.
The film also focuses on one of the victims of the fire, Teddy Ursuleanu, who agreed to a series of photographs graphically illustrating the injuries on herself, photographs that were exhibited in a Gallery, with interviews about her survival and her looking forward in life rather than recriminations and regrets.
Perhaps it is the long tradition of the Soviet rule and corruption in Romania, but many audiences will be shocked at the mismanagement of the hospitals, the limitation of burns units, the need for victims to be transferred to Vienna for appropriate treatment. But, mismanagement also emerges, political patronage, bribery for accreditation ignoring standards, the role of bribery, even for doctors…
The second part of the film, also interesting, focuses on a new Minister of Health, Vlad Voiculescu, in his early 30s, who allowed the filmmakers unlimited access to his office, his political discussions, investigations into the health corruption, his press conferences.
At the end of the film, there are elections in Romania, the minister discussing the dire results for his re-election with his father, the Social Democrats who had fostered a great deal of corruption, being returned.
Which means then that those who do not know recent Romanian history, some Googling for further information.
1. The nations and rewards? Critical acclaim?
2. Audience knowledge of this period in Romanian history, culture, politics? Enough information given throughout the film? The need for further information?
3. Bucharest, 2015, the city, the nightclub, the footage of the fire, hospitals, wards, footage of suffering patients? Press conferences, ministers offices, the press, reporters offices? The musical score?
4. The title? The reference to the club and the disaster? 27 dying in the fire, 37 dying of burns afterwards?
5. The overtones of the title in English, Soviet Union backgrounds, society?
6. The information about the fire, footage, the disaster, the victims, in hospital, grieving parents? Protests, the gatherings, the numbers, the media, the complaints? The views of particular parents, at the meetings? The final visit to the grave and the image of the dead son? The family ritual?
7. Catalin Tolentan, sports reporter, interest in the fire, reporting, beginning to investigate, his associates at the paper, the details of their work, interviews, consultations, phone calls, publication…? Tolentan as a character, seeing him at work, in the interviews, his questions, his stances?
8. The revelations about hospital administration? The issue of the disinfectants, targeting the international pharmaceutical company, responsibilities, corporate fraud, sales, discounts, diluting the disinfectants, the role of the doctors, hospital administration, nurses and associates, the issue of money, political favouritism, bribes to doctors…?
9. The detailed investigative journalism, hospital administrations, the Minister for Health, his background, press conferences, the tough questions, his responses, revelations of truth, his resignation, suicide?
10. The pursuit of the corrupt administrator, taking him, his abuse of the staff, the women testifying against him, his arrival, arrest, the press? Symptomatic?
11. The sequences with Tedy Ursuleanu, the severity of burns, the close-ups, the posing for the photos, the exhibition, the reception, her positive attitude in looking forward to life without regrets and recriminations?
12. Voiculesco, his becoming Minister for Health, his openness, the film crew at all the meetings, personal meetings, press conferences, political discussions? The role of his advisers? The information? The denunciation by the Mayor of Bucharest and her demanding lung transplants at the hospital, the issue of its accreditation, fraudulent, the professor on the phone and his wanting the issue covered?
13. The personality of the Minister, in his early 30s, competent, political, integrity? Toll of Tedy Ursuleanu prominent on his wall?
14. The election, campaigning, the heavy defeat the interim government, the return of the Social Democrats, their past record, political and financial corruption? The minister and his talking to his father about the election?
15. The film stopping, Romanian audiences knowing what happened? International audiences having to do further consultation about the minister and his career?
