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2024

Pierce

Australian Premiere.

A visually stunning debut thriller from Singaporean writer/director, Nelicia Low, set in modern-day Taipei. Shy Zijie (Liu Hsiu-Fu) tries to connect with others through the art of fencing. When his older brother Zihan (Tsao Yu-Ning) is released from prison, Zijie remains intent upon seeing him, despite his mother’s wishes.

Director

Nelicia Low

Runtime

107 Minutes

Country

Singapore, Taiwan, Poland

Classification

Unclassified 15+

A shy fencing student reconnects with his brother, just released from prison, but his vision of brotherly love might be a fantasy.

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

Best Director – Karlovy Vary

Film Credits

Director

Nelicia Low

Year

2024

Country

SingaporeTaiwan & Poland

Language

Mandarin Chinese

Subtitles

English

Type

Feature & Fiction

Program Strand

World Cinema

Producer

Sam Chua WeishiJeremy ChuaPatrick Mao HuangIzabela Igel & John M. Lo

Writer

Nelicia Low

Cinematographer

Michal Dymek PSC

Editor

Nelicia Low & Eric Mendelsohn

Cast

Liu Hsiu-FuTsao Yu-Ning & Ding Ning

Music

Piotr Kurek

Film Source

Magnolia Pictures

Genre

AsiaDramaLGBTQIA+ & 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

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