Jonah Lomu was rugby’s first global superstar, and for good reason - he was absolutely unstoppable. A sporting warrior who battled all odds to become the All Black’s youngest ever player, he was a superhuman talent who captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Ten years on from his untimely passing, and with exclusive access to his family, friends and teammates, LOMU is the definitive, final chapter on the greatest rugby player the world has ever known.

COMING SOON

STORY 

When Jonah got the ball, fans everywhere would sit on the edge of their seats. Kids were hushed, phones were left ringing, sausages were burnt and beers spilled. The first tackler never stood a chance. The question was rather, how many more could he carry over the line with him?

A 6ft 5 inch Togan warrior who could run one hundred meters in under eleven seconds, Jonah was an explosive, formidable athlete who quickly became a sporting legend, holding the record for the most tries scored in world cup history. But despite his gentle giant persona, his life was marred by tragedy, often forcing him to battle adversity and confront his inner demons as the public watched on. From acclaimed director Gavin Fitzgerald (Conor McGregor: Notorious), witness an intimate portrait of a once in a generation athlete, “The Big Fella”, Jonah Lomu.

FILMMAKERS

Gavin FitzGerald’s first feature length documentary, Conor McGregor: Notorious (2017), was the highest grossing Irish documentary of all time. The film, which is now on Netflix, was distributed by Universal Pictures and had a worldwide cinema release. This was a four year long project that built on the tremendous success of his television series documenting the rise of the controversial Irish UFC fighter. Gavin’s second documentary featured another controversial icon; As It Was (2019) charts Liam Gallagher’s musical journey after the infamous Oasis split up. The film screened in 280 cinemas across the UK & Ireland and has recently been acquired for North American and worldwide distribution.

Tongan Kiwi Vea Mafile'o began her screen career in the art department, drawing on her university studies in Visual Arts. Alongside being a prolific artist, she worked as an art director for television (Pacific Beat Street) and on a run of short films (Broken Silence). Mafile'o has also done time in the director's chair, helming several TV shows including Tagata Pasifika, Fresh and I AM TV. In 2015 she founded production company Malosi Pictures with her partner Jeremiah Tauamiti. In 2019 the pair debuted their first feature at the Berlin Film Festival: documentary For My Father's Kingdom, about Vea's father Saia Mafile'o.

REVIEWS

“an exceptional film… far more than a simple sports documentary… a tender but unsentimental study of what it is to be a son, and a father. Brilliant.” - The Conversation

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