Awards season quickly approaches. And one of the hottest films expected to make a push later this year is “September 5.” The period thriller about the ABC Sports crew that covered the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis was picked up by Paramount Pictures and will make it into theaters in November, with an expected wider release in December. Reviews for the movie have been very positive thus far, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it “an enlightening, altogether gripping experience.” There have been comparisons to similarly compelling newsroom dramas like “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight.”
Like those films mentioned, particular praise may appear in the form of Oscar nominations early next year. Aside from the Best Picture category, John Magaro’s portrayal of real-life coordinating producer Geoff Mason may garner him a Best Actor nomination. At the same time, Peter Sarsgaard’s performance as ABC Sports chief Roone Arledge may earn the actor a long overdue nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
READ MORE: ‘September 5’ Review A Captivating Chronicle Of Historic Munich ’72 Telecast [Venice]
The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 29 but was reportedly rejected by the Toronto Film Festival for fear of generating controversy related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The movie stars Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch, Zinedine Soualem, Corey Johnson, Georgina Rich, and Benjamin Walker. Tim Fehlbaum directs it, and Moritz Binder, Alex David, and Fehlbaum serve as screenwriters. Producers include Sean Penn, Fehlbaum, Philipp Trauer, Thomas Wöbke, John Ira Palmer, and John Wildermuth. Martin Moszkowicz and Christoph Müller are executive producers.
“September 5” follows the ABC news crew that covered the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis. The film extensively uses archival footage from the time of the event.
Synopsis:
“September 5” unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today. Set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the film follows an American Sports broadcasting team that quickly adapted from sports reporting to live coverage of the Israeli athletes taken hostage. Through this lens, “September 5” provides a fresh perspective on the live broadcast seen globally by an estimated one billion people at the time. At the heart of the story is Geoff (John Magaro), a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to his boss, the legendary TV executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard). Together with German interpreter Marianne (Leonie Benesch) and his mentor Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), Geoff unexpectedly takes the helm of the live coverage. As narratives shift, time ticks away, and conflicting rumors spread, with the hostages’ lives hanging in the balance, Geoff grapples with tough decisions while confronting his own moral compass.
Paramount Pictures will release “September 5” in select theaters on November 29 and then will release the picture wide on December 13. Watch the first trailer below.