Kollektor is a Russian foreign language film that follows the story of Arthur, a shrewd employee who works at an established Russian collection
agency.
The film takes place entirely in one night. Kollektor’s
storyline follows a mystery woman phoning Arthur, threatening him with
blackmail and slowly releasing information to the public with the purpose of
destroying his career.
Kollektor touches on themes revolving around debt collector
practices, corporate insurance scams and the emergence of big data hacking in Russian governmental
and private practice industries.
Synopsis
Arthur is touted as the best employee at his collecting firm. He’s been doing it for some time now. He knows all the tricks of the trade and he’s damn good at it. Some may say he lives a life with zero empathy and is a selfish man.
Despite that, he sees himself as a successful businessman who does what he does to be on top.
After another night of calls, which involve threatening
people to pay back their dues, he gets a mysterious call from a woman who claims
to have been wronged by him.
She goes on to say that he destroyed her life and that he should get ready to have his own livelihood taken away from him. Arthur laughs it off, tells her to get a life and hangs up.
She goes on to say that he destroyed her life and that he should get ready to have his own livelihood taken away from him. Arthur laughs it off, tells her to get a life and hangs up.
However, this is when things get interesting. You could say
the scammer becomes the victim, because the roles quickly reverse.
The woman calls again, reveals some details and begins to release incriminating information to news agencies. And so starts a night of cat and mouse over the phone.
The woman calls again, reveals some details and begins to release incriminating information to news agencies. And so starts a night of cat and mouse over the phone.
The remainder of the film follows Arthur as he tries to fend
off his mystery caller as more and more information is being leaked to popular
Russian news agencies.
He soon comes to find that his job, close relationships and his own life may be at risk.
He soon comes to find that his job, close relationships and his own life may be at risk.
Important Themes
Kollektor is largely focused on the debt collecting and insurance scam industries in Russia. So it is pretty clear as to what real world themes the film speaks to.
It’s no mystery that insurance scam practices are common in
Russia. Everyone has seen those Russian dashcam fraud videos on the internet. I
mean, I guess it’s almost like a rite of passage to see those videos, right?
Almost every single car in the country has a dashcam because fatality rates are so high. Estimates from the World Health Organisation state that there are 25.2 traffic fatalities per 100,000 people.
By comparison, the United States averages 13.9 road deaths per 100,000 despite have six times more cars. And since Russian courts do not take verbal claims as evidence this has led to the wide scale adoption of said dashcams.
Almost every single car in the country has a dashcam because fatality rates are so high. Estimates from the World Health Organisation state that there are 25.2 traffic fatalities per 100,000 people.
By comparison, the United States averages 13.9 road deaths per 100,000 despite have six times more cars. And since Russian courts do not take verbal claims as evidence this has led to the wide scale adoption of said dashcams.
Aside from the popular usage of dashcams across the country, the Russian fraud industry in very
potent.
It is so saturated that debt collection firms make millions off of the backs of borrowers, lenders and buyers.
It is so saturated that debt collection firms make millions off of the backs of borrowers, lenders and buyers.
This is where Kollektor becomes more of an
accurate story. Because it has been reported that debt collectors tend to call
their ‘clients’ at all hours a day. Regularly calling, pestering and
relentlessly pursuing them by applying pressure.
In some cases, things even
become violent. With collectors paying security officers, ex-military men or
ex-convicts to administer physical threats in the form of beatings, vandalism,
break-ins and other cruel forms of threats.
Many of these actions have led to people to become bankrupt and to commit suicide.
Additionally, the 2016 Russian recession left over 11.5 million Russians in debt. Making for tensions and conflicts to rise at massive rates across the country. Leading to many debt collectors terrorising millions of people by using vicious mob tactics.
Many of these actions have led to people to become bankrupt and to commit suicide.
Additionally, the 2016 Russian recession left over 11.5 million Russians in debt. Making for tensions and conflicts to rise at massive rates across the country. Leading to many debt collectors terrorising millions of people by using vicious mob tactics.
Conclusion
Kollektor is both an entertaining and clever film. It focuses on the flourishing debt collecting industry in Russia, while telling a unique story of retribution.
The film impresses in telling a thrilling story despite the entirety
of the film being set in one location.
You get to see the plot
of the film develop through the main character, as his emotional state wanes
as stark truths are revealed about himself.
Go on and add Kollektor to your watch list, It’s a
good one.
It’s a smart film that will keep you guessing until the very
end.
