Pierce
Australian Premiere.
Director
Runtime
107 Minutes
Country
Singapore, Taiwan, Poland
Classification
Unclassified 15+
Shades of Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin are evident in Low’s stylish debut thriller - a visually stunning exploration of complex character psychology, fraternal and queer love set in modern-day Taipei.
Shy and sweet-natured Zijie (Liu Hsiu-Fu) spends his time learning the art of fencing and listening to his widowed mother, Ai Ling (Ding Ning), sing at a local nightclub. When Zijie’s manipulative older brother Zihan (Tsao Yu-Ning) – a three-time national fencing champion – is released from juvenile prison, Zijie remains intent upon seeing him, despite his mother’s wishes. As Zihan starts mentoring his younger brother, their bond increases. But as Zijie develops newfound skills as a fencer and a romance with his teammate blossoms, Zihan’s innocence becomes more questionable.
Featuring elegant cinematography from Michal Dymek (EO, 2022), dream-like set pieces and captivating performances, Low’s debut will leave you asking questions about the nature of love, sacrifice and sociopathy - right up until the spectacular conclusion.
“Nelicia Low’s taut, sophisticated debut … is at its best when it keeps us in … self-doubting tension, unable to guess our antagonist’s intentions.”
Variety
“Pierce tells a gripping story in a coolly stylish fashion … a sophisticated genre piece.”
Screen Daily
“… an excellent and promising debut for Low.”
International Cinephile Society
Film Credits
Director
Nelicia Low
Year
2024
Country
Singapore, Taiwan & Poland
Language
Mandarin Chinese
Subtitles
English
Type
Feature & Fiction
Program Strand
World Cinema
Producer
Sam Chua Weishi, Jeremy Chua, Patrick Mao Huang, Izabela Igel & John M. Lo
Writer
Nelicia Low
Cinematographer
Michal Dymek PSC
Editor
Nelicia Low & Eric Mendelsohn
Cast
Liu Hsiu-Fu, Tsao Yu-Ning & Ding Ning
Music
Piotr Kurek
Film Source
Magnolia Pictures
Genre
Asia, Drama & Thriller
Purchase Tickets
Thursday 24 Oct 2024
08:30 pm
Pierce
Palace Nova Eastend:
Palace Nova Eastend Cinema 4
Friday 1 Nov 2024
08:30 pm
Pierce
The Piccadilly:
The Piccadilly: Cinema 1