The film directed by Vea Mafile’o (New Zealand) and Gavin Fitzgerald (Ireland), explores Lomu’s background including his Tongan family upbringing and path to stardom, as well as his bid to balance health challenges with the pressure of becoming a global sports phenomenon.
Through intimate interviews with family, friends, teammates and coaches, alongside rich archival material, including never-before-seen family footage, LOMU aims to reveal the personal cost of global fame.
LOMU will premiere in Australia at the Sydney Film Festival on Saturday 13 June, and in Aotearoa on Saturday 1 August at Auckland’s iconic Civic Theatre and will be released in cinemas in Aotearoa and Australia in September.
The filmmakers will also acknowledge the iconic player’s Pacific heritage with a free public screening at Teufaiva Rugby Stadium in Tonga on July 29.