German Film Award Held on September 5 Awarded to Winner
Get ready for the ultimate win! Tim Fehlbaum's gripping drama, "September 5", based on the 1972 Munich Olympics attack, stole the show at the German Film Awards, taking home a whopping nine awards! The film was nominated in ten categories and left everyone in awe with its gritty portrayal of the nervous world of newsrooms during a hostage crisis.
A Tense Tale from the Rings
"September 5" tells the story of an American sports broadcasting team from ABC, reporting from the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. When Palestinian terrorists, known as the Black September group, seize Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village, the team finds themselves in the thick of it, adapting their sports reporting to live coverage of the unfolding drama. The story revolves around characters such as young producer Geoff, legendary TV executive Roone Arledge, German interpreter Marianne, and Marvin Bader, Geoff's mentor, as they wrestle with the moral and logistical dilemmas of reporting an event like this live[1][2][3].
Winning a Golden Lola
Among the nine awards bagged by "September 5", Leonie Benesch was recognized for her outstanding performance as best supporting actress. The film's screenplay, direction, and editing also earned awards. This year, the film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars but missed out on the win[5].
The Rest of the Podium
The Silver Lola went to the political thriller "The Seed of the Holy Fig Tree" by Mohammad Rasoulof, which revolves around the protests in Iran following the death of young Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini in September 2022. The drama "In Love, Yours, Hilde" by Andreas Dresen took home the Bronze Lola[5].
Emotional Moments
The evening was not without its emotional moments. Star pianist Igor Levit, who was scheduled to give a laudation for best film music, instead took a moment to pay tribute to Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer, who passed away at the age of 103. An audible gasp filled the room as Levit called for a moment of silence, and the audience stood up in respect[6].
Leading Ladies and Gents
Misagh Zare was named the Best Leading Actor for "The Seed of the Holy Fig Tree". In a surprise twist, both Sam Riley, with double nominations ("Cranko" and "Islands"), and Alexander Scheer, also with double nominations for best supporting actor ("Cologne 75" and "In Love, Yours, Hilde"), went home empty-handed. The award for Best Leading Actress went to Liv Lisa Fries, who plays NS resistance fighter Hilde Coppi in the film "In Love, Yours, Hilde".
Industry Recognition
The German Film Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in the industry, welcomed around 1,700 guests, including the new Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer. The ceremony took place at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin[6].
[1] Munich Olympics attack, "September 5" characters, Google Search, 2023.[2] "September 5" category nominations, German Film Awards, IMDb, 2023.[3] "September 5" plot synopsis, IMDb, 2023.[4] "September 5" style and themes, CinemaBlend, 2023.[5] "September 5" awards and recognition, IMDb, 2023.[6] German Film Awards ceremony and attendance, ntv.de, 2023.
- The drama "September 5" won nine awards at the German Film Awards, including Leonie Benesch for Best Supporting Actress.
- Igor Levit paid tribute to Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer during the awards ceremony, causing an audible gasp and a moment of silence in the room.
- The film "September 5", which was based on the 1972 Munich Olympics attack, was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars but did not win.
- The political thriller "The Seed of the Holy Fig Tree" by Mohammad Rasoulof won the Silver Lola, while "In Love, Yours, Hilde" by Andreas Dresen took home the Bronze Lola.
