Left-Handed Girl

Competitive section

Family/ChildComing of AgeWomen

Shu-Fen and her two daughters, I-Ann and I-Jing, move to a cramped apartment in Taipei. Shu-Fen opens a small noodle shop in the night market while I-Ann works at a betel nut stand as a “betel nut beauty.” Little I-Jing, still in kindergarten, finds her own way to survive in the night market, where her mother works. Unfortunately, Shu-Fen’s noodle shop doesn’t generate enough profit for the high rent, and I-Ann maintains an unstable romantic relationship with her boss. One day, I-Jing’s grandfather tells her not to use her left hand, as it belongs to the devil and is a vehicle for evil deeds. I-Jing begins to feel as though her left hand is doing evil without her knowledge. In Taipei’s crowded, bustling night market, the mother and daughters each struggle with their own problems. Left-Handed Girl captures Taipei’s nightlife through handheld shots, vibrant colors, and fast-paced editing, while portraying the three women’s economic and psychological distress in the city with realism, peppered with humor. Each has her distinct personality, but the city and people seen through adorable I-Jing’s eyes are particularly charming. Sean Baker co-wrote, edited, and produced this second feature by Tsou Shih-Ching, who has long collaborated with him as a producer and co-directed Take Out (2004).

Programme note by PARK Sun Young