Left-Handed Girl is one of those films that makes your heart ache and smile at the same time. In her stunning solo debut, Taiwanese filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou tells the story of a family who, in the face of struggle, confront painful secrets yet ultimately rediscover what matters most: their love for one another. Following a single mother and her two daughters as they return to Taipei to run a night market stall, the film beautifully captures how culture and family expectations influence the choices we make and the people we become.

Left-Handed Girl looks at the push and pull between what we want for ourselves and what tradition expects of us. The youngest daughter, I-Jing, is forbidden by her strict grandfather from using her left hand – a “devil’s hand,” he warns – setting off a chain of hidden family secrets that quietly changes their lives. Tsou reminds us that beneath the surface of ordinary family life lies a constant struggle between love and control. Then there’s Shu Fen (Janel Tsai), the weary but determined mother, and I-Ann (Shih-Yuan Ma), the eldest daughter – rebellious, sharp-tongued, and endlessly at odds with her mother. She snaps back, rolls her eyes, and resists every rule, yet beneath that toughness lies a kind heart and a secret she keeps carefully guarded.

Inspired by some of Tsou’s own experiences and the lives she observed while wandering through Taipei’s night markets, these encounters with people, friends, and familiar spaces became the foundation for her screenplay, co-written with Sean Baker. Yet it took more than a decade for the project to come to life. As they say, for something truly extraordinary to be born, it takes both love and time – and Left-Handed Girl is clearly a labour of love for Tsou.

With a minimal crew and cast on location, the film embraces a cinéma vérité style that brings Taipei’s night markets to life while tracing the emotional currents of family life. Scenes play out in narrow alleys, small apartments, and lively noodle stands, capturing the natural rhythm of daily life and allowing the camera to move freely with the characters’ emotions. The Tonghua Night Market, a central setting, feels alive – chaotic and colorful – yet held together by a warmth and sense of community that reflects the ties of family.

Tsou’s casting choices are impeccable. Janel Tsai’s portrayal of Shu-Fen, the mother, depicts the exhaustion and determination of a woman balancing survival with maternal responsibility. Shih-Yuan Ma, discovered via Instagram, brings both strength and inner turmoil to I-Ann. Nina Ye, cast just a month before production, fully brings to life I-Jing, giving the titular left-handed girl a striking naturalism and presence on screen.

The film is also a technical delight. Cinematographers Ko-Chin Chen and Tzu-Hao Kao capture Taipei with a sense of energy and intimacy, while Sean Baker’s editing keeps the story flowing smoothly, allowing the narrative to develop nicely without jarring cuts or distractions.

The film is alive with the richness of Taipei, yet it never loses sight of the human heart at its centre. Featuring such strong female characters is exactly what cinema needs. Whether fictional or inspired by real experiences, stories like Left-Handed Girl are important. In a male-dominated world, women often face both misogyny and cultural discrimination simply for being women, and this film shines a light on those challenges with honesty and empathy.

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Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of Netflix

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