The Abandoned

Sometimes, death can be a reason to continue living.

Police officer Wu Jie is about to take her own life when the body of a young Thai woman washes ashore. A cut-off finger and a missing heart only confirm that what looked like a tragic accident is a murder, and evidently a gruesome one. As the number of missing women climbs, Wu Jie braces herself, pushes her demons aside and together with her rookie colleague dives into the pattern of grisly clues and unreliable scraps of evidence. The awareness that the killer might strike again gives the investigation the tension of a torturous, incessant drip of water.

In the world of solving crime, a dramatic accident triggers strange meetings, reveals hidden social connections and implies a malign fatality. With The Abandoned, Taiwanese filmmaker Tseng Ying-ting takes us on a journey into the night in old-school noir fashion, seamlessly refreshing the familiar format with a duo of women officers, each of them working a double shift: crime-solving and self-searching. If they fail, the migrant women will stay invisible – abandoned, falling easy victim to all sorts of hunters.

– Justine Maybank