Left-Handed Girl (2025) [Movie Review] — A Tender, Energetic Debut Seen Through a Child’s Eyes

Left-Handed Girl (dir. Shih-Ching Tsou; written by Sean Baker and Tsou) follows young I-Jing, played with remarkable poise by nine-year-old Nina Ye, as she and her family try to carve out a foothold in the city. Shot with inventive, low-angle immediacy reminiscent of Sean Baker’s early indies, the film drops us into the neon labyrinth of a bustling market where everyday survival, superstition and tender mischief collide. This Chinese drama is an affecting blend of warmth, grit and sly social observation.

Story & themes

A child’s wonder and adult constraints — on display in a crowded, electric marketplace

The narrative is deceptively simple: I-Jing arrives in Taipei with her mother, Shu-Fen (Janel Tsai) and older sister, I-Ann (Shih-Yuan Ma), hoping for a fresh start. Their noodle stall anchors the family’s fragile economy, and the market becomes a classroom where I-Jing learns more than school ever teaches her. The film explores gendered expectations, economic precarity and intergenerational superstition — notably through the striking motif of left-handedness, which the grandfather casts as an omen. Tsou treats these themes with a light but insistent touch: humour and heartbreak coexist, and small acts of agency (I-Jing’s entrepreneurial pluck, I-Ann’s private frustrations) accumulate into something resonant.

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Direction & craft

Resourceful, tactile filmmaking that favors immediacy over polish

Tsou’s background with Sean Baker shows in the film’s kinetic, intimate staging. Shot on an iPhone, the cinematography by Ko-Chin Chen and Tzu-Hao Kao uses low angles and close proximity to place us at I-Jing’s height, making the market feel enormous and alive. Editor Sean Baker’s spry jump cuts and a percussive score give the film an infectious rhythm, turning the city into both playground and obstacle course. Colour choices — hot pinks and vivid greens — and nimble camera work create a vivid sensory rush. The occasional animated sequences add visual flair without disrupting the emotional throughline. The only real stumble is tonal: in its final act, the film multiplies subplots that converge at a melodramatic family banquet, which contrasts with the otherwise naturalistic style.

Performances

A breakout turn and a grounded ensemble that keep the film buoyant and believable

Nina Ye is the film’s beating heart. Her I-Jing mixes precociousness with a sincere vulnerability that anchors every scene. Janel Tsai’s Shu-Fen is quietly resilient, and Shih-Yuan Ma gives I-Ann a lived-in mix of defiance and shame — especially in scenes that reveal the gap between youthful hopes and adult compromises. Supporting players, including Esther K. Chae and others, populate the market with texture; they’re small, distinct presences that make the film’s world feel lived-in. Together, the cast transforms modest situations into emotionally rich moments.

Final verdict & who should watch it

An intimate, hopeful film that balances joy and urgency — recommended for indie lovers and festival crowds

Left-Handed Girl is a warm, spirited debut that succeeds because of its sensitivity to detail and its soulful lead performance. While it occasionally overreaches in the climax, the film’s filmic inventiveness, market-set atmosphere and humane focus on everyday people make it a delightful watch. Fans of Sean Baker’s early work, viewers who appreciate child-centred stories like The Florida Project, and anyone interested in contemporary Taiwanese/Chinese indie cinema will find much to admire.

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Rating: 7.5/10 — a small film with a big heart and a bright future for its director and young star.