Title: Navigating the "Language Battlefield" with Leona Benesch
Last year, actress Leonie Benesch had a notable career milestone. At 30, she walked the Hollywood red carpet with her "Das Lehrerzimmer" team, hoping for an Oscar, although they didn't win in the "Best International Film" category. Now, she's back in the spotlight with "September 5 - The Day Terror Went Live," playing a pivotal role and potentially competing for Oscars in categories like best film, editing, or production design. The movie, which is now showing in German cinemas, was even nominated for "Best Film Drama" at the Golden Globes.
In this film, Leonie portrays the fictitious interpreter Marianne Gebhardt, who, in 1972, aided the US broadcaster ABC during the Olympic village hostage crisis. Palestinian terrorists had stormed the Olympics, taking the Israeli team hostage. The 33-year-old discussed the media coverage depicted in the film and her need for a break in an ntv.de interview.
Questioning her approach in international projects compared to German ones, Leonie said she focused on compelling scripts, not production size or nationality. She admired Paramount's investment in the film, but it didn't change her approach.
Leonie revealed that she had only a basic understanding of the Munich hostage crisis before the project. She knew the iconic image, the massacre, and some details, but her knowledge was limited. The film offered insights into the 22-hour live marathon, the German authorities' failures, and the Olympics' PR goals. It also explained the first-time live broadcast in Germany's PR campaign.
She felt that the project shed light on the choices made by journalists and the impact of language. Her parents encouraged consuming news after events rather than live, but she agreed that the film presented important questions about media ethics and coverage.
The film's relevance increased after a Hamas attack on Israeli civilians in 2023, leading to a war. While some considered reopening the edit, the team chose to maintain the film's neutral stance, using news coverage as a framework to reflect on the conflict's complexities.
Despite facing a similar hostage drama, journalists struggled with the correct language, echoing 1972's newsroom dynamics. Leonie and her team successfully portrayed these challenges in the film.
Leonie revealed that her break was necessary after a busy year. She worked on "Heldin," a film about the nursing profession, and "Moresnet," a Belgian series, which premiered at Cannes this year.
[1] "September 5" highlights the challenges faced by media during a hostage crisis, touching on themes like media ethics and responsibility. The film depicts the struggles of journalists to report accurately and responsibly, emphasizing the importance of language in handling sensitive events.
This role in "September 5" could potentially earn Leonie Benesch an Oscar nomination in categories like best film, editing, or production design. Leonie's character, Marianne Gebhardt, utilizes her language skills to aid US broadcasters during the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis, as depicted in the film.
