PIECES Feature Film

Directed by Martin Wilson; Written by Monique Wilson

A group of interconnected people living with mental illness undertake an art therapy class that transforms not only their lives but the life of their teacher.

2022 AACTA AWARDS NOMINATIONS

BEST INDIE FILM – Martin Wilson (Dir.), Nicole Ferraro

BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN FILM – Monique Wilson, Kristie Rowe

2022 WA SCREEN AWARDS NOMINATIONS

INNOVATION AWARDS NOMINEE

NARRATIVE FEATURE UNDER $1mil – WINNER

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS NOMINEES

DIRECTION – Martin Wilson

CINEMATOGRAPHY OR VISUALISATION – Jim Frater

EDITING – Lawrie Silvestrin

ORIGINAL MUSIC – Tim Alwynne-Count

PRODUCTION DESIGN – Dennon Pike, Monique Wilson, Kristie Rowe, Tess Rowe, Shannon Murphy – WINNER

PERFORMANCE– Monique Wilson

PERFORMANCE – Megan Aspinalll

PERFORMANCE – Alex Arco

PERFORMANCE (UNDER 18) – Allegra Teo

PERFORMANCE (UNDER 18) – Jasmine Lucas

REVIEWS

"The film is WONDERFUL. I love it’s originality not only of the subject but how it is told. It is a kind of hybrid between a documentary and fiction. The images are so beautiful and haunting . They are like paintings. I often thought of painters like Francis Bacon where the paintings lose some of the reality in front of the eyes to capture also what is in the minds and hearts. I hope the film will be widely seen and bring solace to all that suffer including the family around them and knowledge to the lucky ones who never were confronted with these tragedies. What an uplifting message to see art as a healing power. I once worked in Greece in the most ancient theatre in the world Epidaurus. It started as a mean to heal because it was believed that observing dramas had a positive effect on mental and physical health. I wish this film to find distribution all over the world.”

— Isabella Rossellini

Actor

"PIECES is a powerful drama, visually acute and personally confronting, dealing with family and social circumstances any of us could face. It doesn’t proselytize rather it lays out the territory, some of which is disturbing. But not all, it does show how the light can shine through even in the darkest of terrain. We do need to know about these things and Pieces helps us along the way. A must see and a must talk about afterwards"

— Emeritus Professor Geoff Gallop AC

“Today I saw a film that instantly changed my life. It is really hard to put in to words how important this film is, so much so that my friend and I were still deep diving into it's layers several hours later and audibly asking "how did they just do that?!" If there has ever been a film that allows it's audience to enter in to the personal thoughts and emotional struggle of people struggling with very real mental health situations, it is this one. In my opinion this film should be screened in every high school as curriculum. It is raw, bold and brutally honest at the same time as being shot and edited beautifully, with the message of love, patience and acceptance as it's backbone. It was clear that everyone on the set of this film had one goal: to de stigmatize and open up conversations surrounding mental health and give straight and clear answers to those who walk with them on that journey. PIECES begins it's Australian tour in select cinemas on Oct 6 in Perth during mental health week, then continues through rural WA before hitting the Eastern states. The tour locations and dates are in the link. Please see this film”

— Steve Browne

Artist & Filmmaker

"There is a panoply of films purporting to capture the essence or reality of mental illness. Mental illness is frustratingly difficult to portray without agenda, prejudice or stigma. PIECES does this without the stereotypes, without the caricatures, but with raw and empathic humanity. PIECES sets out to destigmatize and highlight the eclectic strings of mental illness which runs through all families, and it presents this message with a striking visual style with that has great power and nuance. The filmmakers purposefully avoid mentioning diagnosis or discussion of symptoms, this really seemed to give the film permission to focus on loss and the grittiness and granularity of our interpersonal lives with emotionally fractured frames, through community, bravery and resilience, and with all the imperfections of authentic love and hope"