New Jonah Lomu documentary 'has been a very trying experience'
Filmmaker Vea Mafile'o is creating a new documentary about rugby legend Jonah Lomu using a vast archive of personal family footage. The project aims to provide a more intimate and comprehensive look at Lomu's life beyond his public sporting persona.
Why it matters
It highlights the importance of personal archives in preserving the legacies of cultural icons and sports figures.
Hundreds of family videos and up to five years of research have gone into the making of a doco about the rugby legend.
Nine to Noon 20 July 2026 6 min read Caption: Jonah Lomu gets past the defence, in a Bledisloe Cup match, 2000. Photo credit: Dean Treml A treasure trove of family footage helped the co-director of a new documentary about Jonah Lomu tell a fuller picture of his life.
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