215. The Australian Dream; movie review

THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM
Cert 15
110 mins
BBFC advice: Contains racism, very strong language

I have to admit that I still hear remarks of casual racism far too often.
Even though those who utter them would deny they were racists, they make me squirm.
So, how must people of colour feel? Almost every day of their lives they encounter judgment based solely on their skin pigmentation.
I empathise with them but as a middle-aged, middle-class white man, I cannot possibly fathom how difficult that is.
This point was rammed home by the praiseworthy stance of Adam Goodes - an Australian Rules footballer and one of the country's most successful sporting stars.
As Daniel Gordon's excellent documentary The Australian Dream, highlights, Goodes caused huge controversy Down Under by standing up to casual racism.
Yes, people really did suggest that he should grow a thick skin when he reacted badly to being called an 'ape' by a rivals' supporter.
And then when he used the platform of being Australian Of The Year a platform to campaign for racial equality he became loudly booed when he took to the field.
Obviously, we have our own problems handling racial issues in the UK but this naked hostility to one man by Australians stunned me.
Gordon's film chronicles Goodes' life and career alongside the history of persecution of Australia's indigenous population.
Even now, while there are people such as Goodes, who have reached positions of power and influence, they are a rarity.
The policies to wipe out the indigenous Australians having failed, they are too often treated as second class citizens.
I watched The Australian Dream wide-eyed that such naked racism could be so rife in what I had believed was one of the most progressive countries in the world.
I am grateful for being much better informed.

Reasons to watch: Deep-dive documentary about racism against an Aussie sporting hero
Reasons to avoid: Upsetting language

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? Reconciliation Australia’s 2019 barometer of attitudes to Indigenous peoples found that 80% of people consider truth-telling important. Almost 70% of Australians accept that Aboriginal people were subject to mass killings, incarceration and forced removal from land, and their movement was restricted.

The final word. Adam Goodes: "The (indigenous community) is one of the longest surviving cultures in the world, over 40 to 60,000 years old and all of Australia should be proud of that. To not talk about it means that we’re not talking about the bad stuff but it also means that we’re not talking about the good stuff, the stuff that could actually bring us together and help us walk together in the future." Movable Fest

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