Pierce

Director and Production | The True Blood and Tears of a Fencing Champion

Nelicia Low's Background: As a former captain of the Singapore national fencing team, she infuses her seven years of athletic experience and family trauma into the screenplay, personally designing the fencing scenes to ensure "every match feels as thrilling as a real competition."
Intensive Training for Actors: Taiwanese fencing athletes and performance coaches were invited to conduct nine months of specialized training for the cast, with athletes also participating in the film to showcase "muscle memory and psychological tension on the fencing stage."

Core Plot | Brothers, Family, and Mental Cages

The younger brother faces imprisonment due to the elder brother's out-of-control behavior during a competition, resulting in isolation from teammates and forced secrecy with their mother and her new boyfriend. After the elder brother's parole, their mother severed ties, but the younger brother secretly aids his return, only to find:

Emotional Paradox: The intertwining of brotherly bonds and family secrets, with the elder brother's emotional issues acting like a ticking time bomb.
Sports Metaphor: The contrast between "offense and defense" in the fencing arena reflects the family's dynamics of "revelation and concealment."

Film Festivals and Reception | Internationally Recognized Narrative Power

The Karlovy Vary Film Festival jury praised the film: "It wraps family trauma in a sports genre, with the sword's edge pointing directly at the silent pain of Asian society." The trailer's contrast between "the metallic sounds of the fencing arena and the silence at the family dining table" sparked discussions online about "the blood and tears behind sporting glory."
Social Resonance | The Double-Edged Sword of Sports and Mental Health

The film explores:

Psychological Trauma in Athletes: How training pressures and competition failures can lead to mental breakdowns.
Intergenerational Family Trauma: The mother’s avoidance, the younger brother's guilt, and the elder brother's self-punishment create a "tragedy chain that spares no one."

"Pierce" employs the narrative philosophy that "the sword's point indicates where the heart's knots lie," redefining the depth of sports-themed films. This dark healing work is a must-see in 2025!