'From shy country kid to two-time Brownlow medallist and Australian of the Year, Goodes is an inspiration to many. The footy field was where he thrived; the only place where the colour of his skin was irrelevant. Goodes’ world fell apart when he became the target of racial abuse during a game, which spiralled into public backlash against him. He spoke out about racism when Australia was not ready to hear the ugly truth, retiring quietly from AFL heartbroken.
'Using the stunning athleticism of Goodes at the peak of his powers as well as the game itself as the film’s backdrop, THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM prompts questions about Australia’s relationship with racism and its ability to confront its own past. This compelling, provocative and cinematic film uses interviews from both sides of the debate to ask probing and fundamental questions about what it means to be Australian and what it takes for any individual to stand up for what they truly believe in. Featuring Goodes and all the key players from his story, including Grant, Michael O’Loughlin, Brett Goodes, Natalie Goodes, Tracey Holmes, Nova Peris, Nicky Winmar, Gilbert McAdam, Linda Burney, Paul Roos, John Longmire, Nathan Buckley, Eddie McGuire and Andrew Bolt, THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM is also a deeply personal and comprehensive exploration of Goodes’ own journey which saw him retreat from everyday life only to return determined to rise above the ugliness he had been forced to confront.
'The Australian Dream is something people reach for and many people obtain, but there’s an emptiness at the heart of it because Australia has not resolved the questions of its history. If the Australian Dream is rooted in racism, what can be done to redefine it for the next generation?' (Production summary)
'When it comes to arguments about racist language, we think too much about the intention of the person saying the words, rather than the feelings of the person hearing the words. That’s a paraphrase of a brief but significant discussion in The Australian Dream, a must-see documentary about indigenous AFL star Adam Goodes.'(Introduction)
'Stan Grant’s comment on the prolonged booing of the Australian Rules football star Adam Goodes – featured in Daniel Gordon’s new documentary, The Australian Dream (produced by Grant himself) – has attracted much interest, including more than one million hits on one website:
We heard a sound that was very familiar to us. We heard a howl. We heard a howl of humiliation that echoes across two centuries of dispossession, injustice, suffering, and survival. We heard the howl of the Australian dream and it said to us again, ‘You’re not welcome.’' (Introduction)
'When the credits rolled on The Australian Dream after its premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival, it was met with a 10-minute standing ovation.'(Introduction)
'When it comes to arguments about racist language, we think too much about the intention of the person saying the words, rather than the feelings of the person hearing the words. That’s a paraphrase of a brief but significant discussion in The Australian Dream, a must-see documentary about indigenous AFL star Adam Goodes.'(Introduction)
'The Australian Dream is an affectionate portrait of a man, his sport, and his country. The documentary, which has premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, examines the racist booing of Indigenous AFL player Adam Goodes in 2015.' (Introduction)
'When the credits rolled on The Australian Dream after its premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival, it was met with a 10-minute standing ovation.'(Introduction)
'Stan Grant’s comment on the prolonged booing of the Australian Rules football star Adam Goodes – featured in Daniel Gordon’s new documentary, The Australian Dream (produced by Grant himself) – has attracted much interest, including more than one million hits on one website:
We heard a sound that was very familiar to us. We heard a howl. We heard a howl of humiliation that echoes across two centuries of dispossession, injustice, suffering, and survival. We heard the howl of the Australian dream and it said to us again, ‘You’re not welcome.’' (Introduction)
