Paramount Pictures’ historical drama, “September 5,” which recounts the harrowing true story of the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis, is gearing up for the upcoming Oscar race with a full-scale awards campaign.
Following enthusiastic receptions at the Venice and Telluride film festivals, the film’s ensemble cast, including Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch, will compete in the supporting acting categories. In addition, the film is set to contend in major categories such as best picture, director, and original screenplay. Paramount Pictures acquired the film from its boutique label Republic Pictures shortly after yjr festival debuts.
“September 5” joins Paramount’s awards slate, which also includes Ridley Scott’s epic sequel “Gladiator II,” two music biopics — Michael Gracey’s Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “Bob Marley:One Love” — and Josh Cooley’s animated feature “Transformers One.”
Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, who co-wrote the screenplay with Moritz Binder, the film follows the ABC Sports crew covering the terrorist attack during the Summer Olympics in Munich. The film captures the intense, suspense-filled moments in the control room, where the broadcast team made difficult decisions while reporting on the Israeli athletes taken hostage.
“September 5” is a taut and suspenseful thriller that stands on its own, even for those familiar with Steven Spielberg’s best picture-nominated “Munich” (2005), which also explores the tragic events and their aftermath. With a smart awards campaign, the film could follow in the footsteps of past Oscar favorites like “Spotlight” (2015) and “All the President’s Men” (1976). It is also poised to compete in technical categories such as production design, editing, and sound.
Variety’s Peter Debruge praised “September 5” for capturing the way the hostage crisis “forever changed TV news,” adding that “the film’s relevance is also boosted by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, as the repercussions of last year’s Oct. 7 attack continue to unfold.”
“September 5” is set to screen at the Middleburg Film Festival before it open in select theaters on Nov. 27 ahead of a nationwide release in December.