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REVFF26: Lomu

Synopsis

From the streets of South Auckland to the world’s biggest rugby stages, this feature documentary traces the extraordinary rise, global impact and private struggles of Jonah Lomu - a Tongan New Zealander who transformed rugby forever, while carrying the weight of culture, faith and expectation few ever truly saw.

Bursting onto the international stage as a teenage prodigy, Jonah’s unprecedented combination of size, speed and power shattered every expectation of what a winger could be. At just 19, he became the youngest All Black in history and a powerful symbol of possibility for Pasifika communities across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific. Beneath the physical dominance, however, was a shy, deeply respectful young man shaped by Tongan values, strict Christian faith, and the complexities of growing up first-generation in South Auckland.

Through intimate interviews with family and coaches, alongside archival footage of Jonah himself - including never-before-seen family video - the film reveals the personal cost of meteoric success.

Thrust into elite rugby before he was fully prepared, Jonah struggled with confidence, scrutiny and the burden of representing not only a nation, but a community long under-represented in the game.

His rise coincided with rugby’s shift into professionalism, turning him into the sport’s first true global superstar – a commercial and cultural phenomenon navigating relentless media attention while remaining accountable to family, culture and church.

The story reaches its apex at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, where Jonah’s devastating performances electrified the world and redefined rugby’s physical and cultural landscape. Yet even at the height of his fame, unseen battles were unfolding. Unknown to the public, Jonah was playing with a serious kidney disorder, quietly enduring illness, fatigue and pain while critics questioned his fitness and commitment.

As injuries, illness and expectation collide, Jonah’s pursuit of one ultimate goal - winning a Rugby World Cup - becomes increasingly fragile. The film follows his attempts to return, his resilience through treatment and dialysis, and the emotional toll of repeated setbacks.

More than a sports biography, this documentary is a Pasifika story of identity, faith, collective responsibility and vulnerability behind legend. Jonah Lomu emerges not only as a revolutionary athlete, but as a deeply human figure whose legacy reshaped rugby, expanded representation, and changed who the game belongs to forever.