ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER
SYNOPSIS:
The presence of the Israeli team at the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich was imbued
with symbolism. A team from the Jewish state was competing in Germany; indeed in the very
city where Nazism was born. For their part, the Germans were intent on demonstrating to
the world how far they had come since the war - how open and tolerant Germany had become.
Security around the Olympic Village was relaxed in a display of openness in keeping with
the friendly atmosphere of the Games. But when terrorists from the radical Palestinian
group Black September entered the village and took 11 members of the Israeli team hostage,
the veneer of camaraderie was shattered as the Games were dragged violently onto the
world’s political stage.
"The revelations in this documentary are truly extraordinary. Some for their
detail, some for their insight, and some for their sheer amazement value: like how
incredibly badly organised the Germans were; from the politicians to the police to the
Olympian organsiers. But most of all, it is Kevin Macdonald's relentless efforts to
interview the remaining Palestinian terrorist involved, Jamal Al Gashey, whose reluctant
testimony (30 minutes of interview, recorded over eight hours after almost a year of
tracking and persuasion and spread over the length of the film) that provides a cold
balance to the heated passions that are raised by the events. The insights, and the linear
narrative of the film, make this a special documentary, an examination of an event that
changed the world. But it also exposes our greatest weaknesses as human beings, manifested
at the structured and rarified levels of nations and international organisations.
Ironically, the film opens in Australia on the eve of the 2000 Olympiad, after Sydney's
Olympics organisation disgraced itself as vain, selfish, stupid and corrupt. You will not
be consoled by the fact that the guys in 1972 were just as bad. Macdonald's film is a cold
shower in mankind's changing room of the millenium."
Andrew L. Urban
"There will be those who claim One Day in September is a work of bias, while
others will protest that it doesn't offer a solid enough understanding of the political
situation in the Middle East. In answer to the first charge, it must be difficult when
dealing with a single circumstance of brutality to appear objective. As to the second, a
film covering this centuries old conflict could probably last a week and still miss a
great deal. Ignoring these two charges, this is both a riveting and moving work. Director
Kevin Macdonald has chosen to present the events of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games hostage
crisis as a suspense thriller. The documentary genre sure is changing and the surprise
here is that he manages to pull it off so completely. Those of us who were around at the
time probably think we know what happened. But memory is a fuzzy thing and Macdonald very
cleverly withholds key pieces of information so we are able to watch it as though it is
actually happening. Revelations at the end of the film come as a complete surprise and
demonstrate our minute awareness of international processes. We learn about government,
the Olympic movement (nothing too surprising here) and observe sporting commentators
trying to come to grips with real tension rather than that artificially manufactured in a
stadium. The music of Phillip Glass drives the piece beautifully while interviews and grim
photos bring home the frightening reality. A well deserving winner of this year's Academy
Award."
Lee Gough
"Whatever you think of the Oscars, you’ve got to admit sometimes they do get
it right. In March, after a year of wonderful documentaries, the Academy handed the
statuette for best feature length documentary to this story about the tragic events at
Munich in 1972. And what a story it is! One Day in September is filled with all the
essential elements of human drama - love, politics, violence, hope, heroism, cowardice,
despair, anger. Impressively directed by Kevin Macdonald, the film is constructed in what
is essentially narrative format, although using the real life events. Narrated by Michael
Douglas and supported by a great soundtrack, One Day in September builds a kinetic tension
as circumstances unfold, leading to a shocking climax. But Macdonald doesn’t forget
that there’s a human dimension to the tragedy. He focuses on two men at the centre of
the drama, each (in their own way) bringing their own perspective to the film. Although
they had little in common, the calamity of that day and its aftermath for both of them is
stunningly brought home. There are several confronting scenes in this film, but a
filmmaker can’t possibly hope to tell the full story without revealing the ugly side
of what went on. It doesn’t pull any punches in the emotional department either, with
an ending as moving as any since Schindler’s List - and all the more powerful because
it’s real. One Day in September deserves to be seen; so please don’t be put off
by the fact it’s a documentary. This is a terrific film - one of the finds of the
year."
David Edwards
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ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER (MA)
(US)
Feature documentary
KEY INTERVIEWEES: Jamal Al Gashey (Palestinian terrorist), Gerald Seymour (ITN reporter
at the Games), Gad Zabari (escaped athlete), Manfred Schreiber (Head of Israeli Olympic
Delegation), Walther Troger (Mayor of Olympic Village), Hans-Dieter Genscher (Minister of
Interior), General Ulrich K Wegener (Aide de Camp to Minister), Magdi Gohary (Adviser to
Arab League), Ziv Zamir (Chief of MOSSAD, Israeli Secret Service), Hans Jochen Vogel
(Mayor of Munich)
NARRATOR: Michael Douglas
DIRECTOR: Kevin Macdonald
PRODUCER: Arthur Cohn, John Battsek
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Alwin Kuchler, Neve Cunningham
EDITOR: Justine Wright
MUSIC: Alex Heffes, Craig Armstrong (with additional music from Philip Glass)
RESEARCH: Khalil, Abed Rabbo (Palistinian journalist), Monica Maurer, Felix Moeller
RUNNING TIME: 92 minutes
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: Dendy Films
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2000
Awards: 2000 Academy Award, Best Documentary
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