“September 5”, interview with the actor Ben Chaplin

September 12, 2024

Ben Chaplin, actor, "September 5". The first terrorist attack to be covered live on tv, the moral issues of a veteran tv news producer: people are more important than the news.

"September 5", interview with the actor Ben Chaplin Angelo Acerbi

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Ben Chaplin is one of the lead characters of the film “September 5” by Tim Fehlbaum, based on the media reaction and live coverage of the first ever terrorist attack to be shown on tv, at the Munich Olympics of 1972. Chaplin is the experienced producer that is the moral conscience of the team, more concerned about the people behind the news than the news itself. Ben Chaplin is also in awe of the director of the film that managed to keep the narrative tight and realistic.

A good man, at least in that situtation

Ben Chaplin talks about his character and even if he comes out as the thoughtful and the most grounded one, he is not sure that this was his nature. He met people and talk with former colleagues that testify he was a man with a temper, sometime rough but on this specific unexpected and unprecedented situation he showed to be able to keep calm and to look at the bigger picture.

Plot

September 5 unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today. Set during the 1972 Munich 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 powerful new perspective on the live broadcast seen globally by an estimated one billion people at the time. At the heart of the story is Geoff, a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to his boss, the legendary TV executive Roone Arledge. Together with Marianne, a German interpreter, 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. How do you cover a situation like this if what the perpetrators want is the spotlight you give?

Written by: Angelo Acerbi

Guest

Ben Chaplin

Film

September 5

Festival

Mostra del Cinema di Venezia

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