Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Michael Jackson's family and fans have attended the worldwide premiere of his concert documentary, This Is It.

The movie was pieced together from 100 hours of footage shot at rehearsals for the singer's ill-fated comeback shows.

Jackson, who died on June 25 aged 50, had spent the previous four months rehearsing in Los Angeles for a series of concerts in London.

His brothers Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Randy, attended a star-studded screening in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Simultaneous premieres were held in 18 other cities, the BBC reports.

However, some fans protested outside the screenings, saying the film covers up Jackson's declining health.

More than 800,000 tickets had been sold for the London concerts, with organisers promising one of the "most expensive and technically advanced" live shows ever.

Jackson was just two weeks away from the opening night at the time of his death, which authorities in Los Angeles ruled a homicide.

The Los Angeles premiere took place across the road from the Staples Center, the site of Jackson's rehearsals and, later, his public memorial service.

Stars attending the event included Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, Katy Perry, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr.