I went into Left-Handed Girl with absolutely no expectations and left with my heart so cradled, it still softens at the mere thought of it.
Written by Kenza Bouhnass-Parra
A warm portrait of a family in Taipei as much as an immersion in the heart of the night market, Shih-Ching Tsou’s directional debut is infused with such vitality, I can still feel its impact reverberating through me.
Left-Handed Girl, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, follows a family of three, a mother (Janel Stai) and her two daughters (Nina Yeh and Ma Shih-yuan), who recently moved Taipei to open a stall in the night market and try to adapt to their new life, especially as the youngest daughter discovers her "evil hand".
Through a perfect blend of family dynamics and personal strivings, Left-Handed Girl paints the heartwarming portrait of three generations of women who try to balance out newfound responsibilities and freedom. The characters are the film’s greater strength, escaping stereotypes and a monolith; they contain multitudes and are all flawed in their own ways. The mother-daughter relationships are intricate and complex, but their dissection is without pretension and lets room for the women to evolve and grow on their own terms. Different stages of a woman’s life are explored, all interconnected, while holding their own grievances.
A sort of coming of age stretched out through an entire lifespan. Supported by stunning performances from all, but especially the main trio, it is a fully in-tune ensemble that accompanies our journey through the Taipei night market, and I could have stayed with it for hours. A night market, which itself appears as a character, the identity of the peculiar place shining through the youngest daughter’s eyes. Her innocent gaze opens a portal for the audience to be transported right to the heart of the market, where every corner holds wonder and excitement, and richness and charm are the lenses through which we discover the culture. A rendering that leaves a timeless aspect to the whole film, as both the central themes and central spaces hold an everlasting spirit, lingering well after the curtain has been drawn back.
Left-Handed Girl’s visual identity, however, is in direct contrast to the timelessness. Having been shot on an iPhone, it is reminiscent of Sean Baker’s Tangerine (2015), Shih-Ching Tsou’s cinematic partner. Both co-directed Take Out (2004) and have regularly collaborated over the years, Shih-Ching Tsou producing a couple of Baker’s films. The latest also edited Left-Handed Girl, another aspect contributing to the overall atmosphere of the film, which meets with aesthetic choices that defined so many of their films. Here, the medium’s choice creates an intimacy, bringing us within the family without ever prying on them. We walk by their side, witness their ugliest and most touching moments, the film pulsing with vitality as the camera shakes from the vitality with which they are living their lives.
I went into Left-Handed Girl with absolutely no expectations and left with my heart so cradled, it still softens at the mere thought of it.
Coming to limited theatres on November 14th before releasing globally on Netflix on November 28th.
Photo: Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
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