Episode Details

In Alexander Nanau's 2019 Oscar nominated documentary "Collective", a fire at Bucharest’s Colectiv nightclub leaves 27 dead and 180 injured. Soon, more burn victims begin dying in hospitals from wounds that were not life-threatening. One revelation leads to another as the journalists start to uncover vast health care fraud. When a new health minister is appointed, he offers unprecedented access to his efforts to reform the corrupt system but also to the obstacles he faces. Following journalists, whistle-blowers, burn victims, and government officials, "Collective" is an uncompromising look at the impact of investigative journalism at its best. In today's discussion, Alexander shares with Tiller the film's point of origin (1:22), how he cultivated journalist sources in a Communist regime (6:30), constructing scenes while shooting verité (10:57), acquiring footage of the fire at Colectiv nightclub (18:40), gaining access to the  Minister of Health (27:41), views on the fundamental failure of totalitarian society (31:45), and his unique writing process (40:30).