Belief: The Possession Of Janet Moses was made by David Stubbs, co-founder of television and film production company KHF Media.

A trailer has been released for the film that claims to "lift the veil of secrecy" on one of Wellington's most bizarre manslaughter cases.



Filming for Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses, which takes a close look at the death of young mother Janet Moses, who drowned during an attempted exorcism in Wainuiomata in 2007, wrapped up last weekend.

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* Moses' families offered private screening of documentary

* Wainuiomata 'exorcism' film to premiere at New Zealand International Film Festival

The film will premiere on Sunday at the New Zealand International Film Festival, following private screenings for the cast, crew and Moses' family. .

SUPPLIED Wainuiomata mother Janet Moses, 22, died in a bizarre makutu ritual in 2007.

The 88-minute documentary drama is described as a "tragic love story", which producer and director David Stubbs hoped would help people understand what happened over four nights in October 2007.

"This is a cautionary tale that I hope starts conversations around where spirituality sits in our community, and why many beliefs are still held secret."

The family of 22-year-old Moses believed she had a makutu, or Maori curse, on her as a result of the theft of a concrete lion from a Wairarapa pub about two weeks earlier.

SUPPLIED Actress Kura Forrester plays 22-year-old Janet Moses in the film Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses.

Her family surrounded her "in a circle of love", and subjected the mother of two to four days and four nights of water cleansing in an effort to rid her of the curse.

Five relatives were given community sentences for their role in the ceremony during which Moses died.

Moses drowned and another family member, who was 14 at the time, had injures to her eyes, as people picked at the demons they saw in them.

Stubbs, who grew up in Wainuiomata, decided to make the film because so many big questions remained unanswered.

With just under one week until the premiere, Stubbs said he was feeling positive.

"The first few film reviews have come out and they've been really great...so the people that have seen the film already understand and appreciate it, which is nice.

"I think a lot of people were expecting an exorcism film, and while it doesn't shy away from the awful things that happened, it's still all about understanding."

Stubbs had continued to keep in touch with both sides of Moses' family and the film would be screened to them before the festival premiere, he said.

"Both families are still reluctant to give any comment to the media and they didn't want to contribute to the film, but I've continued to involve them in the process."

The film had gained international interest and Stubbs had spent the last few weeks taking calls from overseas media, he said.

The film features interviews by Detective Inspector Tusha Penny, psychiatrist Rees Tapsell, cultural adviser and Ngati Awa kaumatua Pouroto Ngaropo, Tuhoe spokesman Tamati Cairns, Massey University cult researcher Heather Kavan, and Crown prosecutor Grant Burston.

Janet Moses is played by Kura Forrester, who also starred in the New Zealand TV series Auckland Daze; her uncle John Tahana Rawiri is played by William Davis; her aunty Glenys Lynette Wright is played by Tina Cook; and the 14-year-old girl is played by Hariata Moriarty.

Wellington screenings:

Sunday, July 26, 5.30pm, Paramount Theatre

Monday, July 27, 11.15am, Paramount Theatre

Sunday, August 9, 5.45pm, Light House Petone

For more Fairfax coverage of the festival, see stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/film-festival-2015

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