Salute - The Peter Norman Story causing quite a stir

Updated November 2 2012 - 10:23am, first published September 3 2008 - 1:52pm

A SHOCKED audience left the Ballarat premier of Salute - The Peter Norman Story at the Regent Multiplex last night. Ballarat producer, writer and director Matt Norman's 90-minute film documents the famous silent protest at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. He made the documentary in honour of his uncle and Australian athlete Peter Norman who stood alongside African American 200m sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith as they raised their hands showing the "black power" salute on the winner's podium.In sympathy with his fellow athletes, Peter wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge and was consequently ostracised by Australia.Mr Norman said since the documentary premiered in Sydney in June, people seemed to be reacting to it the same."People are angry because he has never been recognised. Being a sport hungry country, we don't even know the greatest sportsperson of all time," Mr Norman said.He said he made the documentary to show people who Peter was."I want people to understand Peter stood up for the right reasons. In 1968 it was incredibly dangerous to stand up for a black man. He sacrificed his silver medal."Work began on the documentary in 2002 and features the first footage in history of Peter, Mr Carlos and Mr Smith in the same room. Peter never got to see the the finished product, dying at the early age of 64, two years ago.Last month Salute won Best Documentary Audience Award at the Rhode Island Film Festival in the United States. Work is also under way on the feature film 1968 starring Will Smith, which looks at the events surrounding the 1968 Olympic Games.Salute will screen at the Regent Multiplex for about three weeks.

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