Suspenseful and taut, September 5 is a thriller marked by strong performances that is centered on true events, as well as ethical dilemmas that remain relevant to this day. On September 5, 1972, terrorists infiltrated the Olympic Village in Munich, taking members of the Israeli team hostage. Directed and co-written by Tim Fehlbaum, the feature film depicts that harrowing day as it unfolds, from the perspective of the ABC sports news team covering the event. It’s a compelling perspective and an intriguing one, especially as the ABC crew reporting on the Olympic competitions suddenly found themselves reporting on a critical news story, making crucial decisions on issues they had never encountered before. Their coverage marks the first time that a terror attack was broadcast live on television, before an audience of millions.
The film opens in the control room with scenes from the Olympics shown on the monitors – documentary footage of Mark Spitz and Olga Korbut in their Olympic triumph. These glimpses, while brief, help set the tone, evoking the excitement of the Olympic Games, setting the scene for the contrast to the tragedy about to unfold. It’s an athletic marathon for the broadcast team as well, and as one shift heads out to get some necessary rest, Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro), a young and eager producer begins his shift. The entire film takes place in the ABC broadcast rooms at the Olympics, anything beyond those rooms is seen on the monitors in the control room. There is meticulous attention to detail in the design, with equipment sourced from private collectors and museums, evoking the sense of the era. As the ABC crew reports on the events, archival footage is shown on the monitors, featuring ABC sports anchor Jim McKay, this footage, along with the dial phones and analog equipment, is a reminder of a time when television news possessed an authority and status that has long since been forgotten, now that anyone and everyone has access to the internet.
As shots are heard in the distance, surprise and bewilderment soon turn into action in the newsroom and young Geoff wakes producer Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), who, in turn calls for Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), ABC Sports President, and Peter Jennings (Benjamin Walker). For Arledge, as a seasoned news reporter who knows that exclusivity is everything, the mission is clear: to seize the opportunity, get as close to the events as possible, and report on them – “the story is ours.” Bader represents a slightly different perspective, one that is more attuned to their responsibility towards the people affected by the attack, questioning – whose story is it? While Mason, in covering events as they happen, aiming a television camera on the apartment where the hostages are being held, is trying his best to cope with questions that a news crew has never had to answer – “can we show someone being killed on live television?”
Amid the mostly male, American ABC crew is Marianne, sensitively portrayed by Leonie Benesch (The Teacher’s Lounge), their interpreter, who plays a crucial role in keeping up with developments. As the only German in the room, she is inevitably seen as a representative of any and all things German. When Bader pointedly asks her whether her grandparents are still alive, it’s a reminder that in 1972, the Holocaust was not yet in the distant past. Capable and confident, she responds to Bader, “I am not them.” As one of the few women in the control room, in true early 70s mode, she is at first disregarded, yet she proves her worth.
The tension is high as the team grapples with tough questions that come up – what to film, what to broadcast, the issue of bias in coverage, and the concern that news coverage can affect the course of events. Although it depicts events that took place 50 years ago, the ethical questions it raises remain critically relevant.
September 5
Director: Tim Fehlbaum; Screenplay: Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; Cinematography: Markus Förderer. Editor: Hansjörg Weißbrich. Music: Lorenz Dangel; Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch
