Paramount Pictures’ new release, "September 5", boasts a star-studded cast including Peter Sarsgaard, Corey Johnson, Zinedine Soualem, John Magaro, Marcus Rutherford, Georgina Rich, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch. This eagerly anticipated film uncovers a turning point in media, during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, that has left lasting impressions on the coverage of live news till date.
The plot unveils the story of a select team of ABC Television sports journalists covering the 17th Olympiad in Munich, which was disrupted by a terror attack on Israeli athletes by the Baader-Meinhof group. The ABC team, the only unit equipped with a camera inside the Olympic village, instinctively altered their plan to document this crisis.
During an interactive session, the director/co-screenwriter Tim Fehlbaum alongside actors Ben Chaplin and Leonie Benesch discussed elements such as the transformation and evolution of technology and journalism since 1972, Chaplin's role in the film serving as the story's moral compass, and recurring inquiries posed by women journalists.
The film's international blend of actors mirrored the real-life multinational crew of ABC. Fehlbaum elaborated on the merits of an outsider perspective in storytelling, citing numerous instances throughout film history.
Benesch, elaborating on the joint evolution of technology and journalism, pointed out the pressure on journalists to provide real-time updates, leading to a blur between facts and entertainment. Fehlbaum agreed, highlighting how the film narrates the story from the perspective of sports broadcasters who suddenly find themselves asking these major questions.
In the film, Benesch plays the character of a woman working at ABC serving critical narrative and emotional functions. She expressed her gratitude for the three-dimensional character portrayal in what was otherwise a male-dominated era.
Chaplin's character of Marvin Bader, an ABC producer, serves more of an advisory role, assessing the workings and managing potential risks. As Fehlbaum noted, Marvin acts as the film's "moral compass."
The filmmakers discussed their significant research for the film, including interviewing many of the people depicted on screen. Fehlbaum confessed his surprise at realizing how crucial the 1972 Olympics was to media history. The fact that it was the first instance of live reporting of a crisis of that magnitude astounded him. Germany's aspiration of a renewed nation image, the meticulous venue planning for efficient TV coverage, and the instant swing from covering the Olympics to providing a real-time crisis gritty report, all contributed to the landmark moment in media history that is now remembered via "September 5".
