We’ve reached the point in the year where we’re seeing a slew of films that have award aspirations. One of those is September 5, which follows the ABC sports team at the 1972 Munich Olympics. During what was supposed to be a quiet day at the games, a hostage situation broke out, leaving those working as part of the coverage team scrambling.

This isn’t the first time we’ve gotten a film that looked at this incident—or its aftermath. But this film, which opens in limited release this weekend before getting a wider release in January, focuses on those in the booth who scrambled to cover the situation and grappled with the ethical questions of doing their job.

We focus on Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) who is taking over as producer. It’s the middle of the night in Germany and he’s preparing for a quiet day. So quiet, the head of the production, Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) has headed home with a message not to be disturbed. All seems to be going well until gunshots are heard in the Olympic village.

That leaves Mason, producer Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin) and the team’s German interpreter, Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch) scrambling to figure out what happened. Learning there is an incident in the Athlete’s Village, they dispatch a young Peter Jennings (Benjamin Walker) and quickly recall Arledge as events unfold.

What happens next changes the course of history and live television, while challenging the team and their journalistic ethics.

This is a story that many probably don’t know as well as it’s now been more than 50 years since the games took place. It was interesting to go back in time and consider the live-via-satellite technology, and what a change that was at the time. For those that enjoy historical pieces and journalism films in particular, this is a treat.

History can’t change, so we already know what happens. Still, the use of archival footage—including the real broadcasts from Jim McKay—brings this to life in a unique and engaging way. There is a tense energy here, too. The film runs just over 90 minutes, capturing the chaos and intensity of the events as they unfold.

The twists and turns in the room are fascinating, too. I was drawn to the way events played out and the back-and-forth between Mason, Bader, and Arledge as they try to navigate the pitfalls and perils of covering an unfolding event like this in a new way.

I have long been a fan of journalism films, especially ones that dive into the ethics and responsibilities of coverage. This does that in the course of presenting the story and it’s quite emotional at times. There’s a good energy and pace that director Tim Fehlbaum brings to the production.

I also enjoyed the cast and performances. Magaro is great as the anchor for the story, while I enjoyed Benesch in her role, too. They bring a lot of the tension and emotion out of the story. The overall journey creates an intense film that is one of my favorites of the year.

September 5 is now playing in limited release, expanding nationwide January 17.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.