Collective wins the 2021 LUX Audience Award
Alexander Nanau collects the LUX Audience Award during the ceremony at the European Parliament in Strasbourg
The European Parliament has just unveiled the winner of the 2021 LUX Audience Award during a ceremony held in Strasbourg.
Jan Komasa, becoming the first-ever recipient of the newly branded pan-European award, presented by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in partnership with the European Commission and the Europa Cinemas network. 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.
President David Sassoli awarded the 2021 LUX Audience Award to Collective during a ceremony in Strasbourg today (9 June). “After the period we have just lived through, the need for people to come together, not only in spaces made for debate, but also in places like cinemas, is growing and urgent,
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President David Sassoli awarded the 2021 LUX Audience Award to Collective during a ceremony in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
“After the period we have just lived through, the need for people to come together, not only in spaces made for debate, but also in places like cinemas, is growing and urgent”, said David Maria Sassoli (S&D, IT) during the ceremony, which took place in Strasbourg as well as online.
Accepting the award, director Alexander Nanau paid tribute to the victims and families involved in the tragedy and the independent press that uncovered it. “We want to fight corruption in Europe and we want a free press. Societies do not evolve if we do not have culture education and free press. It is your duty to support our citizens and to regulate spending on culture and education and to protect journalism”, he said.
A film about the role of corruption in Romania s deadliest fire has been recognised by the European Parliament.
The documentary Collective (Colectiv) won the LUX Audience Award, which is chosen by MEPs and member of the public.
The Oscar-nominated film, directed by Alexander Nanau, depicts the aftermath of the Colectiv nightclub fire, which took place in Bucharest in October 2015. The blaze killed 64 people, injured more than 140 and led to mass protests.
Collective explores the work of investigative journalists trying to expose the country s corruption, maladministration and public fraud.
The movie has been praised and collected numerous awards around the world. Earlier this year, it became a rare double nominee at the Academy Awards, for best documentary and best foreign film, although it won neither.