Dir: Shih-Ching Tsou
Cast: Janel Tsai, Shih-Yuan Ma, Nina Ye, Brando Huang, Akio Chen, Xin Yin Chao, Teng-Hung Hsia
Shih-Ching Tsou’s tender debut, solo feature takes us on an immersive and vibrant tour through the streets of Taipei, with cultural expectations intensifying the domestic dynamics and melodrama at its core
Over the past two decades, Taipei-born filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou has quietly carved out a place for herself in the American indie scene, her name often associated with recent Oscar-winner Sean Baker. Their creative partnership began with 2004’s “Take Out”, a raw, independent drama about a Chinese immigrant navigating New York City, co-written and co-directed by the pair. While it marked Baker’s sophomore directorial outing, it was Tsou’s bold debut, and she would go on to produce and even appear in several of Baker’s acclaimed films, including “Starlet”(2012),“Tangerine” (2015), “The Florida Project” (2017), and “Red Rocket” (2021). Unfortunately for Tsou, she was not involved in Baker’s most recent film, “Anora”, which would have earned her an Academy Award win for Best Film if she once again served as a producer alongside Baker.
After more than twenty years of creative partnership, Tsou steps into the spotlight as a solo director with the deeply personal “Left-Handed Girl”, a heartfelt drama set in her native Taipei. Baker returns to collaborate, co-writing, co-producing, and editing, lending his celebrated name to this intimate international project and boosting its profile in the wake of his recent awards glory. Though the script was penned in 2010, it languished in limbo for years as it struggled to secure financial backing before finally beginning principal photography in 2022. Its world premiere at Cannes this May was met with enthusiasm, leading streaming giant Netflix to snap up global distribution rights. The film has since become a fixture on the European festival circuit, even clinching Best Film at the 20th Rome Film Festival.
Though set in the heart of Taipei, “Left-Handed Girl” pulses with the familiar spirit of Baker’s earlier films, centring on a tight-knit cast of resilient women striving to carve out their identities amid the city’s patriarchal chaos. The story follows single mother Shu-Fen (Janel Tsai) and her two daughters, I-Ann (Shih-Yuan Ma) and five-year-old I-Jing (Nina Ye), as they return to Taipei to run a night market noodle stall. Each woman faces the shadow of men in their lives: Shu-Fen, having paid for hospital and funeral costs, shoulders the debts of a husband who abandoned them, I-Ann is pressured into wearing revealing outfits and performing sexual favours for her boss at the betel nut stand where she works, and even the young I-Jing endures her grandfather’s constant criticism for being left-handed—a trait stigmatised in Taiwanese tradition.
I-Jing, labelled for her “Devil-hand”, channels her frustration into mischief, pilfering from neighbouring vendors at the night market—a small rebellion that ripples through her upbringing and the family’s simmering tensions. While the film spotlights the three generations of women, including the formidable grandmother and family matriarch, Xue-Mei Wu (Xin-Yan Chao), it unfolds mostly through I-Jing’s innocent eyes. The tangled web of secrets and generational pressures, which she is too young to understand, finally unravels at Xue-Mei’s explosive 60th birthday celebration, delivering one of the most powerful and revelatory family gatherings seen on screen in recent memory.
Tsou crafts an intimate, courageous story that resonates far beyond her native country’s borders, thanks to Baker’s western influence, whilst also inviting viewers deep into the rhythms of Taiwanese life through immersive storytelling and vivid imagery. Though I have never been to Taiwan, or the Far East at all for that matter, following young I-Jing through the bustling night markets makes the city’s vibrant culture feel tangible and authentic. Ko-Chin Chen and Tzu-Hao Kao’s dynamic cinematography captures both the electric energy of Taipei’s nightlife and the quiet struggles of families like Shu-Fen’s, whose cramped home speaks volumes about resilience and hardship. The creative decision to shoot on iPhones, a technique Baker has championed before, infuses the film with a raw, lived-in authenticity that makes every moment feel real.
The performances shine throughout, with the four leading women capturing the tangled love and frustration that comes with bridging three generations of cultural and social traditions, with the young Nina Ye proving to be especially captivating in her promising acting debut.
After a shaky start to the year, during which Netflix gave us some absolute shockers, the streaming service has recently delivered some of its strongest films of the year, as it looks to market its potential Oscar contenders. With titles like “Train Dreams”, “Wake Up Dead Man”, “Jay Kelly”, and now “Left-Handed Girl”, the streaming giant is making waves in the industry—even if it means masterpieces like this are confined to our living rooms instead of the big screen.
The Verdict:
Shih-Ching Tsou’s solo directorial feature unfolds as a gentle, uplifting story that draws you in with its resilient female leads and gripping domestic moments. The film’s genuine visual style sweeps you through the lively streets of Taiwan, immersing you in the pulse of its culture and the weight of its social expectations.
Left-Handed Girl is now available to stream on Netflix
Dan Loves Film 
What a beautifully detailed and insightful review! It captures not only the essence of Left-Handed Girl but also Shih-Ching Tsou’s impressive journey in cinema. The context about her collaboration with Sean Baker and her transition to solo directing adds depth, while your praise for the film’s immersive depiction of Taipei and its emotional core really brings the experience to life. A thoughtful, engaging appreciation of both the film and its creator!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, that means alot!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are most welcome.
LikeLike
💙⭐
LikeLike