The 2024 film, September 5thtells the true story of the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis, a true crime that shocked the nation and changed the way news teams cover emergencies. Scheduled for release on November 29, 2024, September 5th was written and directed by Tim Fehlbaum, who has worked on German-Swiss films such as Tides and Hell. The film’s cast includes Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin and Leonie Benesch. After premiering at the 81st Venice International Film Festival September 5th got a solid critic score of 86% on Rotten tomatoes.
September 5th is far from the first historical film to explore real crises and the ways in which they were resolved. In fact, this film brings to mind projects like 2012’s Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, or Emphasis. However, along with exploring the real crimes committed at the 1972 Munich Olympics, September 5th it also offers a unique perspective through its main characters. Additionally, the film offers connections to the present day that are difficult to ignore. However, September 5th has a serious story to tell that audiences may never have heard of before.
September 5th is based on the true story of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics
The historical context of September 5th
September 5th is based on the very real terrorist attack that occurred at the 1972 Munich Olympics. On September 5, 1972, eight members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Black September, sneaked into the Olympic village carrying a range of weapons, from guns to hand grenades. The terrorists entered the Israeli delegation’s accommodation in the early hours of the morning and killed two individuals before taking nine more hostages. Israeli victims included Olympic athletes, their coaches and some officials. Black September members then demanded the release of several Palestinian prisoners (via Berger Hobson, Ronit; Pedahzur, Ami.)
The Munich hostage crisis was far from a random act. Firstly, the conflict between Israel and Palestine had been established long before the Olympic Games, and terrorist groups like Black September were not particularly surprising. Additionally, the Munich Olympics were the first to take place in Germany since the infamous 1936 Berlin Olympics, which were marred by the growing presence of Adolf Hitler. With the lack of security and growing tensions between countries, The hostage crisis was caused by a series of pre-existing problems that eventually exploded into a horrific act of violence(via Berger Hobson, Ronit; Pedahzur, Ami.)
September 5 Explores the Attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics via ABC Sports Reporters
Why September 5th Focuses on Reporters
Although September 5th is centered on the hostage crisis at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the film does something a little different by focusing the film not on the hostages or perpetrators, but on the journalists reporting on the event. In particular, Sarsgaard plays real-life reporter Roone Arledge, who served as president of ABC Sports during the crisis. Other journalist characters include Geoffrey Mason, Marvin Bader and Marianne Gebhardt. Based on September 5th trailer, of course the film is concerned with showing how Olympic journalists dealt with the broadcast of this tragedy alongside the typical news coverage of the Olympics.
The fact that September 5th focuses on the sports reporters of the 1972 Munich Olympics, rather than the victims, is of particular importance. Typically, when a film tells the true story of a tragedy, audiences expect to be up close and personal with the event. However, September 5th takes a very different stance, focusing on journalistic integrity and morality rather than violence or prejudice. In this way, September 5th is not just a recap of what occurred at the 1972 Munich Olympics, but tells a significant story about the history of news broadcasts and their relationship to international crises.
What Happened During the 1972 Munich Olympics Terrorist Attack in Real Life
How September 5th will deal with the end of the hostage crisis
The terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics ended in tragedy. Black September members demanded that Israel release large numbers of prisoners, but Israel refused to negotiate. Instead, German authorities attempted to bribe the terrorists with unlimited ransom. The authorities even offered to swap identities with the hostages. Unfortunately, none of these tactics worked. Eventually, two separate rescue plans were enacted, but both failed. The hostages were killed along with a West German police officer. Although the Olympic Games continued during part of the hostage negotiations, they were ultimately suspended (through Fürstenfeldbruck.)
Considering the violent end of the Munich Olympics attack and the film’s focus on reporters, It will be interesting to see how September 5th deals with the final moments of the crisis. Overall, the film may have had much less violence than the actual events, as reporters covered the situation from afar. Anyway, September 5th will likely represent the most horrific moments of this event, whether the audience actually sees them or not. The journalists’ perspective will simply add another layer of helplessness to the already bleak crisis.
How the attack changed the 1972 Munich Olympics
The Olympics had a controversial reaction to the event
As previously mentioned, the terrorist attack against the Israeli Olympic athletes caused the Munich Olympics to be suspended for a total of 34 hours, which has never happened in the history of the modern Olympics. Despite that, many were upset that the Olympic Committee took so long to suspend the games. Furthermore, critics felt that Olympic leaders did not spend enough time unraveling what had happened. Despite this, the Olympics continued and the rest of the Israeli athletes withdrew. Athletes from other countries also left, fearing for their own safety, including American swimmer Mark Spitz, (via Elis, Jack.)
It was only in 2016 that the IOC finally honored the Israeli victims, and a moment of silence only occurred in 2020.
To this day, the 1972 Munich Olympics crisis continues to affect the Olympic Games. Over the years, the IOC has denied protests for a memorial or a moment of silence to honor the victims during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. Only in 2016 did the IOC finally honor the Israeli victims, and a moment of silence did not occur until 2020. In this way, September 5th will serve as a reminder of this event that many have tried to forget. Hopefully, September 5th can honor the lives of Israeli victims and teach the public about this terrible historical moment.