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The role of journalist in modern history is explored and celebrated in September 5, the Oscar-tipped drama set during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
It follows the crew of ABC Sports as they find themselves with a key vantage point to history, being able to get a live camera on the events that would become known as the Munich massacre, where Palestinian terrorists infiltrated The Olympic Village, killing two Israeli athletes and taking a further nine hostage. It would be the first act of terrorist broadcast live across the world.
Paced in the manner of a thriller, the tension is high throughout, director Tim Fehlbaum asking some interesting questions amid the chaos. Is it the job of the media to report the news, even if it risks interfering with events? Is it right to do whatever it takes to get the story?
The ingenious methods used, and decisions made within seconds, show just what it takes for history to be documented. You hold your breath as the crew waits to see whether their reporter is able to sneak inside the village, and gasp as they realise that the terrorists themselves may be watching their coverage.
There’s a fascinating side-plot that questions Germany’s role as a nation looking to rehabilitate itself just 27 years on from World War 2, now scrambling to prevent more blood being spilled on its soil. The prejudices within the multinational control room highlight a world that is still slow to trust, witnessing this global celebration become another tragedy.
A terrific cast adds humanity to what can, at times, be a procedural take on an emotive subject. Peter Sarsgaard is brilliant as Roone Arledge, the executive making the hard calls, his most striking lines delivered with cold conviction. British star Ben Chaplin is also impressive as Marvin Bader, the overwrought head of operations. Both men are fine examples of how a continually changing situation can mean running on gut instinct.
The show is stolen, however, by John Magaro as the newbie in charge of the control room, every decision weighing heavy on his shoulders, barely believing what his cameras are capturing. Leonie Benesch (The Teacher’s Lounge) is also exceptional as Marianne Gebhardt, a German translator who overcomes xenophobia and misogyny to become a key part of the coverage.
When Bader questions whether her parents were supportive of the Nazis, Marianne quietly replies “I am not them”. She is a reminder of the shadow future generations lived beneath, and what was lost when this hopeful Olympics descended into violence.
At its best, September 5 shows the quick thinking and bravery that journalists must display in order to convey news to the world. While the events themselves have been better explored in films such as Steven Spielberg’s Munich, this celebration of the good side of media is compelling from beginning to end.
