Heroes of Our Time

1991, 58 Minutes

Heroes of Our Time is a film that penetrates the inner sanctum of the organisation - Greenpeace, during a direct action against the international oil company, Caltex.  The film takes the audience into the centre of the action, sharing with them the suspense, conflict and uncertainty of a dramatic confrontation between the passionate and committed activists that make up this organisation, and the company they are trying to expose.    

We are living in a time of threatening conflict. We feel our survival jeopardised by wars in the Middle East, Central Asia and much of Africa. But there is another war, a global conflict more devastating and more uncertain in its outcome, a war that poses the ultimate question of survival of this planet.  All over the world, individuals are making a stand against those who continue to pollute and disturb the delicate balance of our environment.

Is this struggle creating a new breed of hero? “Commandos for conservation” and “a well-drilled environmental army”, are two of the catch phrases the media uses to describe the people and activities of Greenpeace.  

This is the first time in Greenpeace’s 20 year history that a film crew has been allowed open access to the story that has traditionally been off-limits to the press. For an organisation that is so protective of its image, the people of Greenpeace have been surprisingly honest.
Revealing much about how activist groups, the media and big business interact to create the issues the public is exposed to in the media, Heroes of Our Time is a record of one “direct action” campaign undertaken by Greenpeace Australia.