Alexander Nanau’s heartbreaking documentary Collective unravels the corruption in the Romanian public healthcare system and the deep-rooted nexus between hospital managers and the government. When an entire system is filled with corrupt government, politicians, bureaucrats, and their allies, the nation can not even provide the basic services to its citizens. Their lives are filled with endless miseries, agonies, and sufferings. In those trying times, citizens must awake and raise their voices against the corrupt establishments. In Collective, a Romanian sports journalist named Catalin Tolontan carries out an investigation against the corrupt public health care system after the Colectiv Nightclub Fire Accident and uncovers the corruption racket. The existing government is forced to resign.
A deadly fire breaks out while the metal rock band Goodbye to Gravity is performing at a posh nightclub Colectiv in Bucharest, Romania on 30th October 2015 immediately killing 27 people and injuring more than 200. In the following months, 37 more patients who are undergoing treatment die at the hospitals mainly because of a lack of a proper healthcare system. A group of journalists from a leading sports newspaper named The Sports Gazette start investigating the healthcare system and find out that the disinfectants used in the hospitals are diluted. They publish a strong article accusing the disinfectant supplier Hexi Pharma. The health minister denies the allegation and claims those to be 95% effective. However, he orders an investigation.
The journalists under the leadership of Catalan Tolontan investigate further and get to know that the intelligence service is very much aware of the corruption in the healthcare system, but did nothing. They keep publishing on this issue and a massive public protest forces the socialist democratic government to resign. At a press conference, the health minister admits that the disinfectants used across hospitals are indeed diluted. A criminal proceeding is initiated against the CEO of Hexi Pharma, Dan Condrea. Unfortunately and mysteriously, he is killed in a car accident shortly.
The journalists manage to get a video that shows maggots are crawling across the wound of a patient. Vlad Voiculescu takes charge as the new health minister. A whistleblower doctor meets the new health minister and reveals the corruption in detail. She reveals the enduring nexus between the hospital managers and the doctors. Voiculescu realizes that the entire medical system in Romania is corrupt and the officials from top to bottom are involved in it. He becomes the target of Bucharest Mayor Gabriela Firea when he stops funding a lungs transplant unit deeming it dangerous. However, the Socialist Democratic Party sweep the election, regain power, and reappoint the suspended hospital managers.
Collective is one of the most important films about courageous journalism. The Sports Gazette is not an investigative newspaper. It is a sports newspaper that serves the purpose of sports and certainly not healthcare. When a nation stumbles and its entire system is corrupt, citizens can not simply close their eyes and let things pass through. It is the primary responsibility of the citizens to protest and vouch for the change that is desperately needed. Catalan Tolontan did exactly the same thing. In spite of being a sports journalist, he carries out an investigation against the so-called establishment along with his team. He proves the fact that diluted disinfectants are indeed being used at Romanian hospitals. His reporting forces the ruling government to resign. This film shows that there are times when certain individuals walk extra miles for the sake of their nations even risking the security and safety of them and their families. Even though socialist democrats regain power, Catalan Tolontan and his team remain heroes.
The new and young health minister Vlad Voiculescu must be applauded for his measures to tackle this horrendous situation. But, changing an entire system for an individual is almost impossible, still, he tried his level best to eliminate corruption in the public healthcare system. Credit must be given to the whistleblower lady doctor who did not hide amongst the corrupts and came forward to reveal the misdeeds for the sake of ordinary citizens. Corruption is widely visible across the countries in the world. It affects the lives of countless ordinary citizens. Multiple times, they do not even get the basic services. So, this heart-wrenching Romanian documentary reflects the lack of basic services like healthcare not only in Romania but all over the world. Collective raises a universal voice against these irregularities and injustice and Catalan Tolontan remains as one of its crucial flag bearers.
Filmmaker Alexander Nanau shot this film over 18 months after the Colectiv nightclub fire accident and edited the film over a duration of 12 months. His perseverance in covering this incident in such details must be applauded. Humongous efforts were put into making this documentary. He mostly shot this film in cinema verite style wherein his camera observed the incidents over the top and from a distance. The haunting sound in some scenes makes this film look like a crime thriller and justifies the theme of the film. Respect goes to Catalan Tolontan and Vlad Voiculescu for allowing the director to be present and shoot this film during real events. Collective was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. It won the Best Documentary award at the 33rd European Film Awards.