A true crime documentary examining the murder of Grace Millane has become the No 1 film on Netflix across New Zealand and Australia – the first local film to do so.
The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane, directed by British film-maker and writer Helena Coan, explores the harrowing case of the 21-year-old British backpacker, who was murdered in Auckland in December 2018.
In a media release on Friday, Rialto Distribution confirmed The Lie, which was made by Auckland-based GFC Films, had topped the streaming platform Australasia-wide – a first for a New Zealand film.
“Male violence against women is an ongoing problem in our society. I am humbled that audiences in Australia and New Zealand are responding so strongly to The Lie and the important message it contains,” producer Matthew Metcalfe said on Friday.
The night before Millane’s 23rd birthday, she went for cocktails with a Tinder date at SkyCity before having more drinks at a nearby bar. She messaged a friend, “I click so well with him” – but a few hours later, her date strangled her to death. Her body was later found buried in Auckland’s Waitākere Ranges.
