A documentary showcasing the talent and challenges of Kiwi rugby great Jonah Lomu premiered tonight at Auckland's Civic Theatre.
The film follows Lomu's life, beginning with his childhood in south Auckland and including the battles of his kidney disease, which ultimately ended the winger's life at 40 in 2015.
Marked with some controversy, 'Lomu' had been in the works for longer than expected after his widow Nadene sought legal action in hopes of protecting his legacy and their family.
However, the Intellectual Property office ruled in 2024 that Tongan-Kiwi filmmaker Vea Mafile'o and Irish filmmaker Gavin Fitzgerald could go ahead with production - following a grant of $800,000 from the Film Commission.
"There's always complex moving parts to it, but what this documentary has been able to do is give a lot of people a sense of healing," Mafile'o told 1News.
She said it brought Lomu, and his story "back into the light, and gives us an opportunity to actually celebrate him".
"It's going up 11 years since his passing now, and a lot of people, a lot of youth just actually don't know about him," she said.
She said archival footage shows him in Tonga speaking Tongan, saying some people may not have realised how connected he was to his heritage.
"I think we get a really nice, unique view into his family life and his home life."
Many rugby fans around the world have already had the opportunity to view the film, with events in countries such as Tonga, Australia and Ireland providing screenings before NZ.
Eight thousand people attended the documentary premiere in Tonga, including the island nation's crown prince.
Jonah Lomu's family were also present and were given flowers by Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala.
The documentary was labelled by The Conversation as a top-5 film from Sydney's Film Festival, who described it as a "brilliant" story that "is far more than a simple sports documentary".
The film's screening comes a month before it would be shown in cinemas across New Zealand on September 3.
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