Collective

27 people died and another 180 were taken to hospital following a fire in the Bucharest “Colectiv” nightclub. Many more, none of them life-threateningly ill, continued to die in the weeks that followed – not from their injuries, but from the effects of disinfectants and the corrupt tactics behind them. An unprecedented scandal, which is revealed only thanks to the openness of a doctor and the courageous investigative research of a sports newspaper. Only once a new, fully transparent Health Minister is employed to reform the ailing system, it becomes evident just how bad Romanian hospitals – and politicians – truly are. Filmmaker Alexander Nanau accompanies the remarkable elucidation of a non-accidental disaster and leads us through this breath-taking documentary thriller to the heart of the fight against the thick, murky swamp of corruption. (Zurich Film Festival)