Salute
A Pakistani school boy from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan sacrifices his life by preventing a suicide bomber from entering his school. This film is a tribute to Aitzaz Hasan.
The film earned $4.5M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Salute (2016) demonstrates precise narrative design, characteristic of Shehzad Rafique's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 40 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Archival footage establishes 1968 as a year of global upheaval and the upcoming Mexico City Olympics. The world before the iconic podium moment is shown in its turbulent context.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 19 minutes when The 200m race occurs and the medal positions are set: Smith gold, Norman silver, Carlos bronze. This victory becomes the catalyst that will lead to the controversial podium demonstration.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
At 78 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False defeat: Norman returns to Australia expecting to be celebrated but instead faces ostracism and punishment. The Australian Olympic Committee begins to shut him out, revealing the true cost of his stand., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 118 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The "whiff of death": Norman's complete erasure from Australian Olympic history is revealed. He dies in 2006 without ever receiving recognition from his own country, despite being a hero to Smith and Carlos., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 127 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The documentary concludes with calls for Norman's recognition, his nephew's (the filmmaker's) efforts to honor his legacy, and the enduring power of the 1968 image as a symbol of human rights and courage., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Salute's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Salute against these established plot points, we can identify how Shehzad Rafique utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Salute within the drama genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Archival footage establishes 1968 as a year of global upheaval and the upcoming Mexico City Olympics. The world before the iconic podium moment is shown in its turbulent context.
Theme
Someone states the central question about standing up for what's right versus personal cost: what price do we pay for taking a moral stand? The documentary's thematic exploration of courage and consequences is introduced.
Worldbuilding
Introduction of the three athletes: Peter Norman (Australia), Tommie Smith, and John Carlos (USA). Their backgrounds, the civil rights movement context, and the lead-up to the 1968 Olympics 200m final are established.
Disruption
The 200m race occurs and the medal positions are set: Smith gold, Norman silver, Carlos bronze. This victory becomes the catalyst that will lead to the controversial podium demonstration.
Resistance
The athletes discuss what to do on the podium. Norman learns of Smith and Carlos's plan to make a statement and must decide whether to support them. The OPHR badge becomes his choice to participate.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
The immediate aftermath and global reaction. The documentary explores how the image spread worldwide, the media frenzy, and the initial responses from Olympic officials and the athletes' home countries.
Midpoint
False defeat: Norman returns to Australia expecting to be celebrated but instead faces ostracism and punishment. The Australian Olympic Committee begins to shut him out, revealing the true cost of his stand.
Opposition
Norman's life unravels: he's excluded from the 1972 Olympics despite qualifying, faces career difficulties, and endures decades of silence and marginalization in Australia while Smith and Carlos are eventually rehabilitated in America.
Collapse
The "whiff of death": Norman's complete erasure from Australian Olympic history is revealed. He dies in 2006 without ever receiving recognition from his own country, despite being a hero to Smith and Carlos.
Crisis
Reflection on loss and injustice. Interviews with family members and the surviving athletes process Norman's death and the tragedy of his treatment. The emotional weight of his sacrifice is fully realized.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The documentary concludes with calls for Norman's recognition, his nephew's (the filmmaker's) efforts to honor his legacy, and the enduring power of the 1968 image as a symbol of human rights and courage.