25/11/2025
"My aim with this film is the same as that expressed in Adam Goodes’ Australian of the Year acceptance speech, when he said, “The real reward is when everyone is talking to their mates, to their families and to their children, having those conversations and educating others about racism. What it looks like, how hurtful and how pointless it is, and how we can eliminate it.”" Ian Darling, June 2019
THE FINAL QUARTER. Created from existing footage, radio and print media from the last three years of Adam Goodes career, the film has had an incredible impact since premiering at Sydney Film Festival, 2019.
Director Ian Darling says, "I felt it was important to hold a mirror up to the nation, to listen again to what was said and what had been heard."
Making time during post-production to share the film with AFL Clubs and their players was important - we wanted to ensure the Indigenous players and their teams knew the film and its content before release. We shared the film with community leaders, cultural leaders and past players in the weeks leading up to the premiere. Working with Roadshow, we secured a Channel Ten release, with a big audience tuning in on the back of media coverage between the festival and national broadcast.
Philanthropic partnerships and donor generosity supported our work with Reconciliation Australia, The Australian Human Rights Commission, Cool Australia, AToM and the AFL, providing the film and education resources to schools and clubs across Australia. THE FINAL QUARTER is also used in the corporate sector and workplaces to reduce casual racism in our communities.
Shark Island Productions and the AFL formed a major philanthropic partnership in 2022, expanding the films impact and tackling racism in sport. The partnership enabled key Peek Rule reforms and delivered a mandatory anti-vilification module, significantly improving policies and procedures for addressing vilification and discrimination at all levels of football. Funding also created new AFL roles, strengthening long-term commitment to inclusion and anti-racism.
You can read more about our impact and download resources at the website https://thefinalquarterfilm.com.au
Sydney Film Festival Channel 10 Roadshow AFL Reconciliation Australia Australian Human Rights Commission Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) The Walkley Foundation Australian Sports Commission
