Left-Handed Girl

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Left-Handed Girl

R

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1h 48m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

102 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

A single mother and her two daughters return to Taipei after several years of living in the countryside to open a stand at a buzzing night market. Each in their way will have to adapt to this new environment to make ends meet and maintain the family unity. But when their traditional grandfather forbids his youngest left-handed granddaughter from using her "devil hand," generations of family secrets begin to unravel.

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Critics Consensus

A warm tour through Taipei distinguished by its lived-in cultural specificity and relatable family dynamics, Left-Handed Girl is a winning first solo feature from writer-director Shih-Ching Tsou.

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Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

Dec 8

3/4

Pungently filmed, with a haunting central performance by Tsai as the mother.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Dec 2

It’s one of those films where the stakes don’t appear that high, yet we become so attached to this family and their survival it will all matter a great deal.

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Natalia Winkelman

New York Times

Dec 2

Expressive visuals and evocative scenes, including one involving an overactive meerkat, make “Left-Handed Girl” a memorable family affair.

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Tim Miller

Cape Cod Wave Magazine

6d

4/4

Shih-Ching Tsou directed … this light drama about a 5-year-old girl (Nina Ye), her older sister (Shih-Yuan Ma) and her mother (Janel Tsai) who move to Taipei and open a noodle stand. … These three are survivors, and it’s a pleasure to get to know them.

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Abhishek Srivastava

The Times of India

Jan 5

4/5

For those who appreciate stories about real people, everyday struggles, and small victories, this film makes for riveting and thoughtful viewing.

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Pablo O. Scholz

Clarín

Jan 5

4/4

Beautiful from every angle, The Left-Handed Girl speaks of family ties, of what is not said, of secrets and truths, of teachings and resentments. [Full review in Spanish]

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Dec 19

Wish it was in English language

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Nov 15

Intimate, beautiful, and a great movie.

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Fong Kok Hoong F

Jan 4

Vibrantly lensed on iPhones for an immerse storytelling experience about the titular toddler watches with curiosity, helplessness and sorrowfulness her stoic mother and rebellious sister driven to exasperation by life circumstances in neon-lit Taipei as her guileless joviality continues to inspire hope and bliss in her troubled family.

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Drew M

@Stonehands211 Jan 4

What a good little film. I love how much you can feel Bakers input here. He’s such a strong voice it shines right through. The director and co-writer is very strong in their own right too which made this such a beautiful little film. What an ensemble too!

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Wayne M

Jan 4

Left-Handed Girl is small but beautiful slice of life in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. It reeks of authenticity and honesty. It's intimate and very much human. This film makes the directorial debut for Shih-Ching Tsou and she has done an excellent job. A single mother, Shu-Fen, moves back to Taipei with her two daughters in I-Jing and I-Ann. One is 5 and the other a teenager. Shu-Fen opens a noodle stand in the night market and the film gently chronicles the trials and tribulations of their lives. It's a battle for money and they live in a cramped apartment. There is also family tension as I-Jing is criticised by her grandfather for being left handed, a taboo in traditional Chinese society. The film moves at a gentle pace and seems to really capture the life and sweat of Taipei. The mostly unknown cast are great, especially Janel Tsai as the embattled mother. A small but carefully made film.

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Kathryn M

@Kathryn23 Jan 1

Once again, I do not understand the rating by rotten tomatoes. This movie is weird and frankly awful. The girl is adorable but the plot seriously lacks and it’s just depressing.

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Shih-Ching Tsou

Director

Janel Tsai

Shu-Fen

Nina Ye

I-Jing

Shi-Yuan Ma

I-Ann

Brando Huang

Johnny

Akio Chen

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Synopsis

A single mother and her two daughters return to Taipei after several years of living in the countryside to open a stand at a buzzing night market. Each in their way will have to adapt to this new environment to make ends meet and maintain the family unity. But when their traditional grandfather forbids his youngest left-handed granddaughter from using her "devil hand," generations of family secrets begin to unravel.

Director: Shih-Ching Tsou
Screenwriter: Shih-Ching Tsou, Sean Baker
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Through the Lens Entertainment, Le Pacte, Cinema Inutile, Good Chaos, Left-Handed Girl Film Productions Company
Rating: R (Sexual Content and Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 28, 2025
Runtime: 1h 48m

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