2021 Oscars: Romanian documentary shortlisted in two categories

Romanian documentary Colectiv/Collective, directed by Alexander Nanau, has been shortlisted in the Documentary Feature and International Feature Film categories for the 93rd Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Tuesday, February 9, shortlists in nine categories for the 2021 Oscars: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, and Visual Effects.

Fifteen films have been shortlisted in the Documentary Feature category, among them Collective, All In: The Fight for Democracy, Boys State, Crip Camp, Dick Johnson Is Dead, and Gunda.

The same number of productions will also advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Besides Romania's Collective, this list includes films from countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Guatemala, or Norway.

The shortlists announced on February 9 for the nine categories of the 2021 Oscars can be found here.

Although known as a documentary about the 2015 deadly fire at the Colectiv club in Bucharest, Collective actually takes a behind-the-scenes look at the fight against corruption that followed this tragedy. It tells the story of the first year after the fire and follows both the authorities and the journalists in their interaction to search for and expose the truth.

This January, Collective was voted best foreign-language film by the US National Society of Film Critics. It also received the European Documentary prize at the 2020 European Film Awards. Earlier this month, the Romanian documentary was named Best Documentary at this year's London Critics' Circle Film Awards.

(Photo source: Facebook/colectiv film)