Local woman hits big screen with Israel Adesanya

A Motueka local is hitting the big screen alongside one of MMA’s biggest stars and former UFC champion, Israel Adesanya, and she says the movie will help local men manage their emotions.

Janet Redmond is now Israel Adesanya’s ‘possibility manager’, starring alongside him in his documentary-style movie Stylebender, which hits New Zealand screens tomorrow - Thursday, 28 September.

Despite not knowing who Israel was when director Zoe McIntosh asked her to work with him for the movie, she says he is simply a man with a lot of past hurt and emotions that she helped him process.

“It really helped not knowing who he was, because to me he was just a person with some scars from the past that needed some wound healing.”

Janet was previously a trauma specialist, training psychotherapists and counsellors but says instead of using the word trauma she now prefers the acronym UNKLEs – Unprocessed Neglected Key Life Events.

“He [Israel] had plenty of those unprocessed key life events and that’s part of the movie, him healing from the bullying, racism, immigration, a Nigerian family and all the culture that comes with that.”

The opening scene of the movie is Israel sitting on the seat of the campervan that Janet lives in undertaking feelings work. Janet regularly uses the space for her work with individuals and families.

Janet says the movie will help so many people.

“Because he’s such an idol and an inspiration for so many people. My hope, especially for the young men who have managed the culture they live in by numbing, toughening up, sadness is weakness and all those old beliefs about emotions, for them to be able to see him so vulnerable... this is an invitation for them to seek out someone that can help them.”

She says Israel and his vulnerability will help other men.

“If he can say ‘I’m one of the toughest men in the world, and I’m doing it’, then you can do it.”

Janet says the experience has re-connected her with a motivation to help people with her services.

“It’s okay to say ‘I’m not okay’,” she says.

“People try to numb the emotions with alcohol, drugs, keeping busy, and when that bar starts to melt away it can feel like you’re going crazy, it can be really scary.”

Stylebender hit New Zealand screens on 28 September, and Janet says anyone with an interest in MMA, or not, will connect with the film.

“This man followed his dream and that’s an inspiration.”

Janet will host a Q&A session at Revite Cafe from 5pm on Thursday, 12 October, with a Feel 2 Heal conversation from 6.30pm.