The Australian Dream

A thought-provoking documentary about the Australian Rules football star Adam Goodes that raises crucial questions about casual racism.

Adam Goodes became an inspiring figure in Australian Rules football. Raised by his single Aboriginal mother, he found a sense of belonging and connection in sport. In 2013, at the top of his game, he was the centre of a huge racist row when a 13-year-old girl called him an ‘ape’ in the middle of a game and he had her ejected from the stadium. What ensued was a shocking backlash of vilification and blunt racism against the football star. Drawing upon Goodes’ personal story, Australia’s dark colonial past and its treatment of the Aboriginal population, director Daniel Gordon (George Best: All by Himself, LFF 2016) has crafted a powerful and timely examination of race, identity and belonging that resonates far beyond the football pitch.