After being branded as “the enemy of the people” in recent years, both here and in some other countries, journalists may be surprised to find themselves portrayed as heroes in a number of recent documentaries, including an Oscar-contending film.
Collective, the Romanian film nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best International Film, centers in large part on reporter Catalin Tolontan, who exposed a shocking corruption scandal precipitated by a deadly fire at a Bucharest nightclub. Tolontan and his colleagues got to the bottom of why burn victims kept mysteriously dying in Romanian hospitals in the weeks and months after the blaze.
“These journalists,” notes director Alexander Nanau, “were the only ones who started to investigate all the lies and the manipulation within the health care system and the political class.”
Tolontan’s investigation uncovered a scheme by a pharmaceutical company to sell secretly diluted disinfectant to hospitals. The weakened cleaning...
Collective, the Romanian film nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best International Film, centers in large part on reporter Catalin Tolontan, who exposed a shocking corruption scandal precipitated by a deadly fire at a Bucharest nightclub. Tolontan and his colleagues got to the bottom of why burn victims kept mysteriously dying in Romanian hospitals in the weeks and months after the blaze.
“These journalists,” notes director Alexander Nanau, “were the only ones who started to investigate all the lies and the manipulation within the health care system and the political class.”
Tolontan’s investigation uncovered a scheme by a pharmaceutical company to sell secretly diluted disinfectant to hospitals. The weakened cleaning...
- 4/9/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Catalin Tolontan wasn’t ready for his close-up.
The Romanian sports journalist whose investigative work provides the spine of the Oscar-nominated documentary “Collective,” initially turned down director Alexander Nanau’s offer to capture him at work as he sought to expose widespread fraud and corruption. The story he was chasing, one that involved a staggering level of bureaucratic ineptitude and institutional greed, was simply too hot to risk compromising his sources.
“I had a lot of reservations,” Tolontan told Variety during a recent Zoom interview from his native Bucharest. “We have to protect the whistleblowers first of all. And also you are thinking that this is going to be like a Hollywood movie with cameras and lights and a hundred people walking around our news room.”
But Nanau promised to stay out of the reporters’ way and also allowed them to screen the final cut before it debuted to ensure...
The Romanian sports journalist whose investigative work provides the spine of the Oscar-nominated documentary “Collective,” initially turned down director Alexander Nanau’s offer to capture him at work as he sought to expose widespread fraud and corruption. The story he was chasing, one that involved a staggering level of bureaucratic ineptitude and institutional greed, was simply too hot to risk compromising his sources.
“I had a lot of reservations,” Tolontan told Variety during a recent Zoom interview from his native Bucharest. “We have to protect the whistleblowers first of all. And also you are thinking that this is going to be like a Hollywood movie with cameras and lights and a hundred people walking around our news room.”
But Nanau promised to stay out of the reporters’ way and also allowed them to screen the final cut before it debuted to ensure...
- 4/6/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Jayro Bustamante on La Llorona, co-written with Lisandro Sanchez: “I wanted to give women that honor to be in the center of looking for justice in the film.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday, March 15, the nominations for the 93rd Oscars. Best International Feature Film nominees are from Denmark, Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round; From Hong Kong, Derek Tsang’s Better Days; From Romania, Alexander Nanau’s Collective; from Tunisia, Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Man Who Sold His Skin, and from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jasmila Žbanic’s Quo Vadis, Aida?.
Jayro Bustamante: “I can understand victims. And I can feel empathy with them.”
The Oscar-shortlisted film from Chile, Maite Alberdi’s The Mole Agent snared a Best Documentary nomination. From Norway, Maria Sødahl’s Hope...
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday, March 15, the nominations for the 93rd Oscars. Best International Feature Film nominees are from Denmark, Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round; From Hong Kong, Derek Tsang’s Better Days; From Romania, Alexander Nanau’s Collective; from Tunisia, Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Man Who Sold His Skin, and from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jasmila Žbanic’s Quo Vadis, Aida?.
Jayro Bustamante: “I can understand victims. And I can feel empathy with them.”
The Oscar-shortlisted film from Chile, Maite Alberdi’s The Mole Agent snared a Best Documentary nomination. From Norway, Maria Sødahl’s Hope...
- 3/17/2021
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The documentary film community gathered virtually on Facebook Tuesday night to chat and cheer each other on at the annual Cinema Eye Honors Awards. Oscar ballots are due Wednesday at 5pm Pt, and many documentary branch voters were on the livestream.
At the start of the evening, as we waited for the pre-taped presentation to begin, “Crip Camp” nominee Jim Lebrecht congratulated “The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel for his BAFTA nomination that morning. International Documentary Association chief Simon Kilmurry was on the chat, along with Sundance artistic director Tabitha Jackson and Kirsten (Kj) Johnson.
She took home the directing prize for “Dick Johnson is Dead,” one of nine Netflix films nominated and among three winners for the streamer, including “Rolling Thunder Revue” and non-fiction short “Love Song for Latasha.”
Many filmmakers sent in videos introducing themselves, from Martin Scorsese in New York (“Rolling Thunder Revue” won an editing award) and...
At the start of the evening, as we waited for the pre-taped presentation to begin, “Crip Camp” nominee Jim Lebrecht congratulated “The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel for his BAFTA nomination that morning. International Documentary Association chief Simon Kilmurry was on the chat, along with Sundance artistic director Tabitha Jackson and Kirsten (Kj) Johnson.
She took home the directing prize for “Dick Johnson is Dead,” one of nine Netflix films nominated and among three winners for the streamer, including “Rolling Thunder Revue” and non-fiction short “Love Song for Latasha.”
Many filmmakers sent in videos introducing themselves, from Martin Scorsese in New York (“Rolling Thunder Revue” won an editing award) and...
- 3/10/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The documentary film community gathered virtually on Facebook Tuesday night to chat and cheer each other on at the annual Cinema Eye Honors Awards. Oscar ballots are due Wednesday at 5pm Pt, and many documentary branch voters were on the livestream.
At the start of the evening, as we waited for the pre-taped presentation to begin, “Crip Camp” nominee Jim Lebrecht congratulated “The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel for his BAFTA nomination that morning. International Documentary Association chief Simon Kilmurry was on the chat, along with Sundance artistic director Tabitha Jackson and Kirsten (Kj) Johnson.
She took home the directing prize for “Dick Johnson is Dead,” one of nine Netflix films nominated and among three winners for the streamer, including “Rolling Thunder Revue” and non-fiction short “Love Song for Latasha.”
Many filmmakers sent in videos introducing themselves, from Martin Scorsese in New York (“Rolling Thunder Revue” won an editing award) and...
At the start of the evening, as we waited for the pre-taped presentation to begin, “Crip Camp” nominee Jim Lebrecht congratulated “The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel for his BAFTA nomination that morning. International Documentary Association chief Simon Kilmurry was on the chat, along with Sundance artistic director Tabitha Jackson and Kirsten (Kj) Johnson.
She took home the directing prize for “Dick Johnson is Dead,” one of nine Netflix films nominated and among three winners for the streamer, including “Rolling Thunder Revue” and non-fiction short “Love Song for Latasha.”
Many filmmakers sent in videos introducing themselves, from Martin Scorsese in New York (“Rolling Thunder Revue” won an editing award) and...
- 3/10/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective
Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season
2021 Oscars Predictions:
Best Documentary Feature
Updated: Mar. 4, 2021
Awards Prediction Commentary: The documentary branch has a lot of international voters that have been added over the last few years. Some of the American stories that center around politics and social issues may get passed over...
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective
Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season
2021 Oscars Predictions:
Best Documentary Feature
Updated: Mar. 4, 2021
Awards Prediction Commentary: The documentary branch has a lot of international voters that have been added over the last few years. Some of the American stories that center around politics and social issues may get passed over...
- 3/4/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective
Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season
2021 Oscars Predictions:
Best International Feature
Updated: Mar. 4, 2021
Awards Prediction Commentary: Denmark has dominated the season with “Another Round,” even presenting itself as a film that can show up in other categories like best actor (Mads Mikkelsen). While “Honeyland” made history last year when it...
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective
Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season
2021 Oscars Predictions:
Best International Feature
Updated: Mar. 4, 2021
Awards Prediction Commentary: Denmark has dominated the season with “Another Round,” even presenting itself as a film that can show up in other categories like best actor (Mads Mikkelsen). While “Honeyland” made history last year when it...
- 3/4/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
“We’re onto something. We don’t know if it will turn out to be right or if we’re on the wrong track, but let’s try.”
This was the call Alexander Nanau received from Romanian journalist Catalin Tolontan in late 2015 after Tolontan had — somewhat reluctantly — agreed to let the director into the newsroom at the Bucharest paper Sports Gazette and film his investigations into Romania’s notorious health care system.
“I had a narrow mind,” says Tolontan. “I saw the newsroom as a refuge, with boring norms and standards. I was ...
This was the call Alexander Nanau received from Romanian journalist Catalin Tolontan in late 2015 after Tolontan had — somewhat reluctantly — agreed to let the director into the newsroom at the Bucharest paper Sports Gazette and film his investigations into Romania’s notorious health care system.
“I had a narrow mind,” says Tolontan. “I saw the newsroom as a refuge, with boring norms and standards. I was ...
“We’re onto something. We don’t know if it will turn out to be right or if we’re on the wrong track, but let’s try.”
This was the call Alexander Nanau received from Romanian journalist Catalin Tolontan in late 2015 after Tolontan had — somewhat reluctantly — agreed to let the director into the newsroom at the Bucharest paper Sports Gazette and film his investigations into Romania’s notorious health care system.
“I had a narrow mind,” says Tolontan. “I saw the newsroom as a refuge, with boring norms and standards. I was ...
This was the call Alexander Nanau received from Romanian journalist Catalin Tolontan in late 2015 after Tolontan had — somewhat reluctantly — agreed to let the director into the newsroom at the Bucharest paper Sports Gazette and film his investigations into Romania’s notorious health care system.
“I had a narrow mind,” says Tolontan. “I saw the newsroom as a refuge, with boring norms and standards. I was ...
In the tradition of “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight,” “Collective” is a modern detective story about a team of journalists who uncover corruption within a power structure. Though made with the tension and precision of a feature, this Romanian film directed by Alexander Nanau is a documentary — the first, in fact, to be submitted by Romania for the Best International Film Oscar.
The movie begins with a tragic 2015 fire at a nightclub named Colectiv in Bucharest, Romania. From there, Nanau follows a small team of reporters from Gazeta Sporturilor, a daily sports paper of all things, who discover a web of systemic fraud that killed dozens of the fire’s survivors — with a curious echo of the classic 1949 film “The Third Man” starring Joseph Cotton and Orson Welles.
“It was a democracy that had been basically taken over by corrupted populist politicians,” Nanau told TheWrap from his home in Romania.
The movie begins with a tragic 2015 fire at a nightclub named Colectiv in Bucharest, Romania. From there, Nanau follows a small team of reporters from Gazeta Sporturilor, a daily sports paper of all things, who discover a web of systemic fraud that killed dozens of the fire’s survivors — with a curious echo of the classic 1949 film “The Third Man” starring Joseph Cotton and Orson Welles.
“It was a democracy that had been basically taken over by corrupted populist politicians,” Nanau told TheWrap from his home in Romania.
- 1/5/2021
- by Joe McGovern
- The Wrap
It’s like a scene out of a nightmare: A singer is howling onstage as his band thrashes behind him. When the number is done, he notices something is on fire. That’s not part of the show, he says. The camera whips around, as if the person holding it is trying to see what the man is talking about. You can make out an odd, glowing light emanating from behind a pillar. Then, in a matter of seconds, the entire ceiling of the nightclub seems to go up in flames.
- 11/23/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Romanian director Alexander Nanau’s bracing, relentless documentary tracks the aftermath of the 2015 fire that killed 64 people, hovering at the center of a system on the verge of collapse. And then it does, much like the flames that engulfed Bucharest’s Colectiv nightclub and sent the nation into a tailspin, as “Collective” sits at the center of the chaos with an unflinching gaze.
Nanau adopts a remarkable vérité approach to the material that, outside of some brief introductory credits, lets the footage speak for itself. From its opening moments to the devastating finale, “Collective” plays like a gripping real-time thriller, merging the reportorial intensity of “Spotlight” with the paranoid uncertainty of “The Manchurian Candidate” as it explores the national fallout of a tragedy that won’t let up.
“Collective” doesn’t dwell much on the terror of its inciting incident, dispensing of the nightclub event in amateur video from the...
Nanau adopts a remarkable vérité approach to the material that, outside of some brief introductory credits, lets the footage speak for itself. From its opening moments to the devastating finale, “Collective” plays like a gripping real-time thriller, merging the reportorial intensity of “Spotlight” with the paranoid uncertainty of “The Manchurian Candidate” as it explores the national fallout of a tragedy that won’t let up.
“Collective” doesn’t dwell much on the terror of its inciting incident, dispensing of the nightclub event in amateur video from the...
- 11/19/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
When Romanian filmmaker Alexander Nanau (“Toto and Her Sisters”) screened his latest observational documentary “Collective” to rave reviews at the Venice, Toronto and Sundance festivals, he had no idea that his health system exposé would prove to be all-too predictive of a world not prepared to cope with a rampaging virus pandemic. As the virus moved rapidly through China, Europe and the Americas, leaving thousands of victims in its wake, Nanau watched with horror as the terrible patterns revealed in Romania repeated over and over again.
Nanau’s movie, funded by HBO Europe, follows a team of crack investigative journalists at sports daily Gazeta Sporturilor, who uncover the reasons why 37 burn victims died after a traumatic fire killed 27 people and injured another 180 on October 30, 2015 at the Bucharest nightclub Colectiv. Gazeta Sporturilor reporter Catalin Tolontan, the movie’s hero, stands up to the Romanian government and its incompetent health ministers by...
Nanau’s movie, funded by HBO Europe, follows a team of crack investigative journalists at sports daily Gazeta Sporturilor, who uncover the reasons why 37 burn victims died after a traumatic fire killed 27 people and injured another 180 on October 30, 2015 at the Bucharest nightclub Colectiv. Gazeta Sporturilor reporter Catalin Tolontan, the movie’s hero, stands up to the Romanian government and its incompetent health ministers by...
- 4/1/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
When Romanian filmmaker Alexander Nanau (“Toto and Her Sisters”) screened his latest observational documentary “Collective” to rave reviews at the Venice, Toronto and Sundance festivals, he had no idea that his health system exposé would prove to be all-too predictive of a world not prepared to cope with a rampaging virus pandemic. As the virus moved rapidly through China, Europe and the Americas, leaving thousands of victims in its wake, Nanau watched with horror as the terrible patterns revealed in Romania repeated over and over again.
Nanau’s movie, funded by HBO Europe, follows a team of crack investigative journalists at sports daily Gazeta Sporturilor, who uncover the reasons why 37 burn victims died after a traumatic fire killed 27 people and injured another 180 on October 30, 2015 at the Bucharest nightclub Colectiv. Gazeta Sporturilor reporter Catalin Tolontan, the movie’s hero, stands up to the Romanian government and its incompetent health ministers by...
Nanau’s movie, funded by HBO Europe, follows a team of crack investigative journalists at sports daily Gazeta Sporturilor, who uncover the reasons why 37 burn victims died after a traumatic fire killed 27 people and injured another 180 on October 30, 2015 at the Bucharest nightclub Colectiv. Gazeta Sporturilor reporter Catalin Tolontan, the movie’s hero, stands up to the Romanian government and its incompetent health ministers by...
- 4/1/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
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