Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses

Belief explores the 2007 death of Wainuiomata mother Janet Moses during a mākutu lifting. It uses interviews and reenactments to explore a tragedy which writer/director David Stubbs believes was caused by "fear and love mixing and turning into hysteria". Five members of Janet’s family were charged after her death. Belief debuted at the 2015 NZ International Film Festival; a shorter version played on TV One. The NZ Herald's Peter Calder found it "compelling and heartbreaking". Stubbs was named Best Documentary Director at the 2017 Moa Awards. Kura Forrester (The Educators) plays Janet. Belief was funded by an NZ On Air/NZ Film Commission documentary fund.

[Writer/director David] Stubbs relied on the public record, interviews with others — in particular prosecution and defence counsel — and reenactment by a nimble and assured cast to dig behind the sensational headlines of the trial coverage.

– Peter Calder in The NZ Herald, 16 July 2015, page C9

Key Cast & Crew

Kura Forrester

As: Janet Moses

Mathew Knight

Cinematographer

Tina Cook

As: Glenys

Thomas Robins

Producer

William Davis

As: John

David Stubbs

Director, Writer, Producer