ACMI + VICSPORT PRESENT
Salute + I’ll Stand With You
At the 1968 Olympics, two Americans and an Australian ran the fastest 200m in history. What they did next shook the world.
Salute recounts the role of a white man in a defining moment of the American civil rights movement: the 1968 Black Power Salute. When Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists on the Olympic podium in Mexico City, the repercussions were immediate. They were banished from the US Olympic team and were subject to abuse and death threats on their return home. The third man on the dais had a similar experience – Australian silver medalist Peter Norman was punished for his show of solidarity, reprimanded by authorities and never ran for his country again.
Written, produced and directed by Norman’s nephew, Matt Norman, for the first time the complete story behind one of the most iconic images of all time is told. With never before seen interviews and footage, Salute is an inspiring and timely portrait of three competitors who became brothers.