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The Australian Dream (2019 film)

The Australian Dream is a feature-length documentary film released in 2019 in Australia, also known as the Australian Dream. The film explores Australian Aboriginal culture and prejudice in modern Australia, featuring Australian Football League (AFL) player Adam Goodes, with the continued booing of Goodes by spectators as a starting point.

The documentary film was composed in 2019 by award-winning journalist Stan Grant and directed by British director Daniel Gordon. The film also received the AACTA Award for Best Feature Documentary. The director Gordon, has crafted a powerful and timely exploration of race, identity and belonging that resonates far beyond the football pitch of Australia's treatment of the Aboriginal community.

Background

Adam Goodes is an Indigenous Australian, who identifies his background as “Adnyamathanha”, which is a Flinders Ranges mob that translates to ‘rock people’ in Indigenous language[1]. After struggling with bullying over his race, Goodes enrolled into a TAFE course to further his knowledge about his culture and people for more awareness[2]. After discovering fondness for his background, Goodes appeared on “Who do you think you are[3]?” where he was able to uncover more on his ancestry and background. Goodes made sure to carry his heritage and legacy into his football career, highlighting the recognition of Indigenous Australian culture wherever possible. After being drafted for the Sydney Swans in the 1997 AFL draft, he was named Australian of the year in 2014 after being recognised for his community work with Indigenous Australian youth, as well as his efforts towards the Go Foundation to combat racism. Throughout the documentary film, Goodes recalls a collection of examples of his racial bullying he’s encountered throughout his AFL career, the first being in 2004 when he was called out for "resembling a monkey". Goodes references attending Indigenous camps where Aboriginal Australian’s all share similar stories of all being racially vilified.  It also highlighted The Footy Shows "racism rowel" incident of Sam Newman acting as Nicky Winmar.

The documentary was also seen as a scathing assessment of racism perpetrated against Australia’s Indigenous population, and the challenges that Indigenous AFL players face automatically, being politicised; their identity is front and centre and theme of being ‘politically aware’.

On 24 May 2013, a 13-year-old Collingwood supporter called Goodes a "an ape during the AFL 's annual Indigenous Round (the Sir Doug Nicholls Round)[4]. Goodes pointed the girl out to security upon hearing the violence, who ejected her from the stadium. Goodes was profoundly affected by the incident but said repeatedly that the girl could not be blamed; her reaction had been influenced by the atmosphere in which she grew up. The girl phoned to apologise, saying the impact of her words had not been understood by her.

Over the coming years, and particularly in 2015, Goodes was regularly and loudly booed at most matches by opposition supporters. The demand for, and acceptability of, the booing created broad public discussion, which for weeks at a time dominated media attention from both sports and political commentators.

Examples that were presented in the documentary film of Adam Goodes just being, “Adam Goodes the Australian Footballer, but Adam Goodes the angry Aborigine”, included Sam Newman[5] who exploded on Channel Nine’s The Footy Show depicting Goodes as “a jerk”; Eddie McGuire mentioning Goodes as acting “…with the ape thing[6]”. Alan Jones who labelled Goodes behaviour as “…again today plays the victim[7]”.

However, the film did feature many Australian media and sport personalities defending Goodes in interview form, such as; Shane Warne[8], Stan Grant, Nova Peris, Linda Burney, Michael O’Loughlin, Neil Winmar, Gilbert McAdam, Tracey Holmes, John Longmire, Nathan Buckley, Paul Roos, Brett Goodes and Andrew Bolt.

The film also follows another incident, where Goodes celebrated a goal again during the Indigenous Round during a match against Carlton in May 2015 by performing an Aboriginal war dance, in which he mimed tossing a spear in the direction of the Carlton fans. After the incident, Goodes said the dance was based on one he learned from the Flying Boomerangs' Indigenous team under 16, and that it was intended during the Indigenous Round as an expression of indigenous pride, not as a way of offending or threatening the crowd.

In the months following the war dance, Goodes's booing escalated. In August of the 2015 season, Goodes took an indefinite leave from the game.[13] In the week of his leave, several clubs and players in the AFL supported Goodes.

After an outpouring of support from fans, actors, politicians, musicians and teammates, including two unexpected standing ovations, Goodes returned the following week and played for the remainder of the season but eventually retired from the AFL in September 2015. Goodes did not attend the AFL grand final and take part in the traditional parade, as he was scared of any more booing or outcry from the audience.

References

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[1] The Guardian (2016). Indigenous AFL legend Adam Goodes: “Growing up, I knew I was different.” [online] The Guardian Sport Blog. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/apr/20/indigenous-afl-legend-adam-goodes-growing-up-i-knew-i-was-different.

[2] The Guardian (2016). Indigenous AFL legend Adam Goodes: “Growing up, I knew I was different.” [online] The Guardian Sport Blog. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/apr/20/indigenous-afl-legend-adam-goodes-growing-up-i-knew-i-was-different.

[3] SBS.com.au. (2016). Who Do You Think You Are? S6 Ep6 - Adam Goodes. [online] Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/guide/video/313380419793/Who-Do-You-Think-You-Are-S6-Ep6-Adam-Goodes [Accessed 24 Oct. 2020].

[4] The Guardian (2016). Indigenous AFL legend Adam Goodes: “Growing up, I knew I was different.” [online] The Guardian Sport Blog. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/apr/20/indigenous-afl-legend-adam-goodes-growing-up-i-knew-i-was-different.

[5] Davey, M. (2015). Sam Newman swipes Adam Goodes, Archibald Prize winner. [online] Fox Sports. Available at: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/sam-newmans-bitter-response-to-winning-adam-goodes-painting/news-story/e1a4197d8038b85fce456a062a0b06b2 [Accessed 28 Oct. 2020].

[6] ABC. (2016). McGuire blames painkillers for Goodes gaffe. [online] Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-17/eddie-mcguire-adam-goodes-comments-came-while-on-painkillers/7636488 [Accessed 28 Oct. 2020].

[7] Levy, M. (2015). Swans star Adam Goodes always plays the victim: Alan Jones. [online] The Age. Available at: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/swans-star-adam-goodes-always-plays-the-victim-alan-jones-20150729-gimmn3.html.

[8] www.abc.net.au. (2015). Warne defends fans who boo Goodes. [online] Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-30/warne-defends-goodes-booers/6661084 [Accessed 28 Oct. 2020].