Left-Handed Girl might as well be called In the Streets of Taipei. For its entire runtime, the film immerses us in the energy and motion of the city, moving through its crowded night markets while also digging into cultural conflicts, economic struggles, the way patriarchal society shapes women’s lives, and finally, the generational traditions and conflicts between older generations’ beliefs and the younger generation’s search for autonomy. All of this is seen through the eyes of an extremely adorable five-year-old girl. The authenticity is so strong in the material that you come away not only understanding the core of Taiwanese life but also feeling like you have traveled there yourself for two hours.
The film is deeply personal for director Shih-Ching Tsou, growing directly out of her own childhood memories. The “devil hand” remark that gives the film its title was something her grandfather once said to her. It also marks her first solo directorial effort, the result of more than a decade of development. The project was shelved multiple times as Tsou worked to secure resources, but she kept returning to it until she could finally bring it to the screen.
Supporting her at every stage was Academy Award winner Sean Baker. Tsou and Baker have collaborated for years, and here he serves as co-writer, editor, and producer. While the film shares themes and stylistic choices with Baker’s own work (iPhone cinematography once again bringing a lot of intimacy), this is unmistakably Tsou’s vision. Baker himself has said he stayed completely off set, allowing her full creative control. His editing, however, plays a crucial role in shaping the final film, balancing a wide ensemble and weaving together events from different places and chronology with remarkable fluidity.
Still, as sharp as the editing is, the real praise belongs to Tsou, who not only allows us to breathe the Taipei atmosphere (from their first arrival, accompanied by a charming little tune) but also brings incredible empathy to the well-formed characters, especially the three women at the center of the story. The film is at its best when we are just immersed into the little moments like seeing I-Jing running through the market, the noodles being prepared in the noodle stand (it will make you hungry!), I-Ann re-encountering old school colleagues or the grandmother saying I-Jin is her favorite. There is an immense sense of truth in these moments matched well with humor that contrasts with the hardship that the scenes are actually representing.
The cast, unlike in Baker’s films where locals and non-professionals often fill the screen, is composed of trained actors, yet they are all uniformly strong. Janel Tsai, as the mother, grounds the story and hints how her character’s actions have always been restrained, which makes a later choice feel fully justified. The two girls come across as wonderfully natural, especially the youngest, whose small gestures and curiosity give the film its heart. Even the supporting characters in the market, who could easily have slipped into caricature, feel authentic and lived-in.
The film culminates in an anniversary sequence that brings all the film’s themes and conflicts together. The way that this particular scene is constructed can feel a bit soap opera in style, briefly moving away from the film’s most naturalistic tone. Outside of this moment however, this is a film that leaves you with a smile on your face at the same time as expanding your empathy for these people and their city.
This is part of Reviews On Reels TIFF 2025 Coverage. Due to the hectic rhythm of a film festival, it may be tweaked in the future.
Still courtesy of TIFF.