Pierce Csurgo is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has screened at prestigious festivals including Sundance, Fantasia, Sitges, Edinburgh, Sydney, Leeds and Dublin International. Based in Venice, California, he explores themes of modern masculinity, the sacred and profane and finding poetry in everyday moments.
As a writer and director, Pierce has made four acclaimed short films: As Above, So Below (2017), Takeoff (2018), Oh, Brother (2019), and Shadow Box (2024). He serves as producer on Parole (2024), starring Eric Roberts and Robert Bazzocchi; Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting (2025), starring Pollyanna McIntosh and Milly Shapiro; and Born to Lose (2026), featuring Dylan Arnold and James Le Gros, which he also wrote.
Pierce is co-founder of Strange Customs, an independent production company blending arthouse sensibilities with commercial appeal. Born in Toronto and educated at Cass Business School in London, he worked in finance before transitioning to filmmaking. His storytelling is informed by extensive travels across Asia and the Middle East, experiences that also inspire his forthcoming novel, The Wanderer.
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Born To Lose (2026)
Starring Dylan Arnold, James Le Gros, Ambyr Childers, Sarah Pidgeon
Directed by Joseph Zentil
Written by Pierce Csurgo & Joseph Zentil, and Eric Kinsey
Produced by Pierce Csurgo, Joseph Zentil, Tom Putnam, Brett Woodall
Executive Produced by Matty Matheson, Michele Silva Neto
Festivals: Cinequest '26
Press: Deadline
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Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting (2025)
Starring Pollyanna McIntosh, Milly Shapiro
Written and Directed by Alexander Thompson
Produced by Roger Mayer
Executive Produced by Pierce Csurgo, Joseph Zentil, Russell Sanzgiri, Zeus Kontoyannis, Emily Bennett
Festivals: Sundance Film Festival '25, Fantasia International Film Festival '25, Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival '25, Edinburgh International Film Festival '25, Sydney Film Festival '25, Leeds International Film Festival '25, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival '25, FilmQuest '25, RiverRun International Film Festival '25, HollyShorts Film Festival '25
Press: Variety, Deadline
Conditions of Release (2024)
Starring Robert Bazzocchi, Genevieve Kang, Eric Roberts
Written and Directed by Mitch Greenberg
Produced by Pierce Csurgo, Mitch Greenberg & Eric Bizzarri
Festivals: Warsaw Film Festival '24
Shadow Box (2024)
Starring Keaton Kaplan, Egerton Marcus, Kadrian Enya
Directed by Pierce Csurgo
Written by Pierce Csurgo & Joseph Zentil
Produced by Pierce Csurgo & Eric Bizzarri
Festivals: Dublin International Film Festival '24, Thomas Edison Film Festival '24, Hamilton Film Festival '24
Oh Brother (2019)
Starring Gabriel Meacher, Francesco Filice
Written and Directed by Pierce Csurgo
Produced by Kristina Wong
Festivals: Nickel Independent Film Festival '21, Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival '21
Press: Frame Light
Takeoff (2018)
Starring Kevin Kashani, Lee Lawson
Written & Directed by Pierce Csurgo
Produced by Lindsay Christopher and Pierce Csurgo
Festivals: Toronto Shorts International Film Festival '19, Kitchener Waterloo Film Festival '19, Canada Shorts Film Festival '19, Le MUP '19, NSI Online Short Film Festival '19
Press: NSI Canada
