The Lie: Grace Millane documentary No 1 on Netflix in New Zealand and Australia

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.

The Lie examines the case of Grace Millane's murder through previously unseen footage and first-hand accounts.

Using previously unseen CCTV recordings and footage from court and the police interrogation room, the documentary pieces together the case with first-hand accounts from key participants and witnesses, while unravelling Jesse Shane Kempson’s calculated web of lies.

“If this film could save one person’s life or make one man look at his behaviour or help someone get out of an abusive relationship, then it’s worth doing,” Coan said in a statement.

“One of the first things I did was to write to Grace’s mum to ask for her blessing to make the film, and she gave me her blessing.”

In his review, the Herald’s culture editor and entertainment columnist Karl Puschmann called it an “excellent documentary about an atrocious crime”.

“It shows everything that followers of this heinous crime never saw. It’s compelling but harrowing. With its extensive use of CCTV footage, The Lie meticulously and thoroughly presents its terrible truth,” he said.

The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane is screening on Netflix in New Zealand.