Moving Aussie movie tackles real-life issues
THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM
THE saga of Adam Goodes’ career from its earliest beginnings is explored in the documentary The Australian Dream.
Goodes, the son of an indigenous mother and Irish father, was detached from his aboriginal heritage in his youth. But racist slurs were cast anyway, all through school and life.
Then he became a star AFL footballer, finding his home in the Sydney Swans, a team where he was accepted for his skills and himself.
At a game against Collingwood in Melbourne a young 13year-old girl screamed at him that he was an ape.
He reacted.
She was escorted from the arena and then all hell broke loose on social media and in mainstream media.
He was demonised, she was the victim.
Stan Grant, who is of aboriginal heritage, is a presence throughout the film, explaining what it means to be indigenous in this country, helping us understand the impact of racial slurs on those targeted.
Because this film is not just about Goodes, it’s about the incipient racism in this country and it’s a cry for a re-evaluation about who we are.
The impact on Goodes was devastating and despite him being named Australian of the Year, the burden of being a flagbearer for anti-racism in this country was actually too much for him to carry.
This is an important documentary from director Daniel Gordon as it puts us in the shoes of the disenfranchised members of our society, the indigenous population who don’t regard Australia Day as a celebration but as a moment of tragedy for the longest living culture on earth which was decimated by Britain’s claim of terra nullius.
Seen through the prism of Goodes’ experiences this is a profound and moving film.