RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

‘Colectiv’ in the race for the Oscar Awards

Alexander Nanaus documentary film ‘Colectiv is Romanias proposal for the 2021 Oscar Awards, in the ‘best international feature film section.

‘Colectiv’ in the race for the Oscar Awards
‘Colectiv’ in the race for the Oscar Awards

, 16.10.2020, 13:50

A film about the system versus the people, about truth versus manipulation, about personal interest versus public interest, about individual courage and responsibility: this is how one would describe the feature film ‘Colectiv’, which shows what happened in the first year after the fire at the Colectiv club in Bucharest. Colectiv is not a fiction film or one inspired from real life, it is the stark reality! On October 30, 2015, in the evening, the rock band ‘Goodbye to Gravity’ went on stage for a concert at the Colectiv club in Bucharest, which had been improvised in an abandoned factory. The concert was attended by hundreds of young people.



Shortly after the concert began, the fireworks display included in the show set on fire the sponge that cushioned the improvised concert hall, which had only one exit. The fire lasted 153 seconds, enough to cause the death of some of the spectators, the choking on smoke of others and a stampede for the exit. The country’s PM at the moment resigned, just as the mayor of the Bucharest sector where the club was located. Meanwhile, some of the injured people were transported abroad for medical care, others, who remained in the country, died because of their severe burns and the nosocomial infections.



People took to the streets to protest against corruption chanting the famous slogan ‘Corruption kills’. The authorities opened a criminal file, some people were arrested, the trial was protracted, but eventually the culprits were found, punishments were ruled and damages were granted to the victims and their families. One of the biggest tragedies, in times of peace, in the Romanian history, the Colectiv fire has killed 64 people, mostly young people, and has wounded about 200 people, of whom one subsequently committed suicide.



Directed by Alexander Nanau, the documentary, born out of the 2015 Colectiv fire tragedy, is Romania’s proposal for the 2021 Oscar Awards, in the ‘best international feature film’ section. This is the first time when Romania proposes a documentary film for the Oscar Awards, shows the film’s Facebook page. Moreover, the American distributors will also register ‘Colectiv’ in the ‘best documentary film’ section to increase its chances to be included on the short list of nominees. Director Alexander Nanau says that ‘we are in a genuine golden age of documentary films, and the fact that these films are starting to be so widely acknowledged is really encouraging’. Alexander Nanau is convinced that the story ‘Colectiv’ will reach very many people. (tr. L. Simion)

European Commission (photo: © European Union - Source: EC - Audiovisual Service / Photographer: Christophe Licoppe)
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Photo: aep.ro
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Gas consumption in the EU (Credits: magnascan-pixabay-com)
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Photo: roaep.ro
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels

NATO welcomes Romania’s continuous efforts and its significant contribution to strengthening the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security, NATO...

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Romania’s economic growth estimate has been recalculated by the European Commission (EC), at a value well below the initially established...

Downward forecast from the European Commission
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

The fall of the Berlin Wall, 35 years ago, represented for Romanians an encouragement in their fight for freedom, and the removal of the Iron Curtain...

35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall
Today in the News Friday, 15 November 2024

European minimum wage in Romania

The law on the introduction of the European minimum wage in Romania was promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has...

European minimum wage in Romania

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company