‘Collective’ wins the 2021 LUX Audience Award

The 2021 LUX Audience Award, presented by the European Parliament, was won by the Romanian film Collective

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Roxana Vasile, 11.06.2021, 13:50

These days, from Strasbourg to Cannes, Romanians films are enjoying unanimous recognition, a fact that has become quite natural for audiences in the country and abroad. For years, there has been talk of the ‘new wave’ represented by unanimously appreciated and awarded filmmakers such as Cristian Mungiu, Cristi Puiu, Radu Muntean, Corneliu Porumboiu, Radu Jude or Adina Pintilie. Let us add to this gallery of names that of Alexander Nanau, whose film ʹCollectiveʹ has recently received the LUX Audience Award, presented by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy, in partnership with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas.

The winner is decided both by audience vote and by the vote of the MEPs, each having a share of 50% in the final decision. Upon accepting the award, Alexander Nanau paid tribute to the victims and families involved in the tragedy at the Collective club, as well as to the independent press that investigated the case.The film follows a group of local journalists exploring corruption in the Romanian healthcare system, following a dramatic event that shook the country in 2015. On October 30th, a fire in the improvised Collective nightclub in Bucharest, hosted by a former factory, results in 65 dead and about 200 injured. Some of the injured are transported for medical care abroad, others, left in the country, die due to severe burns, and also from infections acquired in hospital.

Social discontent is escalating, street protests are taking place, and the prime minister resigns. Following in parallel journalists, victims and government officials, Alexander Nanau’s documentary talks about the revival of civic responsibility and the need for unbiased journalism in a democratic world. We want to fight corruption and we want a free press in Europe. Societies do not evolve if we do not have culture, education and a free press Nanau said upon receiving the LUX Award. With this recognition, Alexander Nanau’s investigative documentary rounds up an outstanding year, after winning several international awards and making history becoming the first Romanian film nominated for the Oscars, in the ‘best documentary’ and ‘best international feature film’ categories.

As the 74th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival, to be held between July 6-17, is already on the horizon, we should also mention that the feature film ‘Întregalde’ directed by Radu Muntean and the short film ‘When Night Meets Dawn’ by Andreea Cristina Borţun were selected in the Quinzaine des Realisateurs section. Andrei Epure’s short reel ‘Intercom 15’ will compete in the Semaine de la Critique section, whose jury will be led by Cristian Mungiu, and the feature film ‘La Civil’, a Romanian-Belgian-Mexican co-production directed by Teodora Ana Mihai and co-produced by Cristian Mungiu, was selected in the competition of the Un Certain Regard section. (MI)