Tim Fehlbaum, director, "September 5". When terrorists attacked the Munich Olympics in 1972, the world of tv news changed forever. The film is about that day and the men that were caught in it.
“September 5” by Tim Fehlbaum narrates the days of the terroristic attack to the Munich Olympics, from the point of view of the sport tv crew that was forcibly the first ever to face a situation like this on tv. That day marked a turning point for television and for the way and rules of showing news on TV. With a fast-paced, almost reality TV rhythm, the film also tackles this issue from the personal and moral point of view of the producer of the TV programme and the reporters.
The form of the film was born out of a conversation
Tim Fehlbaum says that “September 5” as we see it was born out of a conversation he had with Geoff Mason, the editor-in-chief who was in the studio in Munich on that day in 1972, and how they had to deal with those 22 incredible and tragic hours.
A single space and place help hold the narrative tension
For Tim Fehlbaum, the point of view of the TV crew was the best to use for storytelling: a single space in which all the action unfolds automatically creates a superior rhythm and narrative tension; in addition, working in the media world made it easier for him to be at ease and be certain of the veracity of what he was telling.
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"September 5", interview with the director Tim FehlbaumAngelo Acerbi
September 5 unveils the defining moment that changed media coverage forever and continues to impact live news coverage today. Set during the 1972 Munich Olympics, the film follows the crew of an American sports broadcast that quickly adapted from sports reporting to live coverage of Israeli athletes taken hostage. Through this lens, September 5 offers a powerful new perspective on live television at the time, seen around the world by an estimated one billion people. At the centre of the story is Geoff, an ambitious young producer trying to prove himself to his boss, legendary TV executive Roone Arledge. Together with his German interpreter Marianne, Geoff unexpectedly takes control of the show. As reports change, time runs out and conflicting rumours spread, with the hostages' lives hanging in the balance, Geoff, face to face with his own moral compass, must make difficult decisions. How do you report on such a situation if what the perpetrators really want is to be in our spotlight?
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