A Garota Canhota

Story of how women are living in life. A mom, a daughter and a girl, when moved to a new city, they have to find way to survive it. They have their messy past history but here its their future and its even more messier.

From unpaid bills to dragging old relations everything comes in their way. The innocent girl for whom her own hand becomes a devil. All this and much more with super visuals and great story line that sucks you in.

This movie is unbelievably terrible. It makes no sense at all - it's basically like a vlog, filming the same family every day. And everyone in it acts like an idiot. As a Taiwanese person, this is not the Taiwan I know. It actually feels more like the lifestyle and behavior of people in Hong Kong or China.

When I walked into the modern and comfortable southern Taiwan cinema, I knew nothing about this film until when the film started rolling and I saw Sean Baker's name in it. I have been a huge Baker fan for decades since his 'Take Out'. I've watched and enjoyed every one of his films. I somehow remembered Tsou's name in the credit in every one of Baker's films but it didn't click on me when I first noticed Left-Handed Girl. I was really delighted and enjoyed this wonderful Tsou/Baker co-production about Taiwan's ordinary people's lives and how their compassion for each other intertwined in the typical Tsou/Baker touches. This film reminded me of their earlier 'Prince of Broadway', 'Starlet', 'Tangerine', 'The Florida Project', 'Red Rocket' and lastly but not the least 'Anora'. I wish Left-Handed Girl many successes in the upcoming awards season and I look forward to seeing more of Tsou/Baker co-production in the future. If you like any of their previous films, don't miss out this touching yet often hilarious and wonderful film about contemporary Taiwan.

A 5-year-old girl, her university-aged sister, and their single mother move back from the countryside to Taipei, where the mother opens a noodle stall in a night market.

The youngest goes to school, is somewhat taken care of by the 2 family members, at time tries to help, but also at times is left to amuse herself. She wants a dog, but ends up inheriting her father's meerkat. Her left-handedness causes trouble with her grandfather, who calls the left hand "the devil's hand", something that leads to unintended results.

The older girl goes to work at an unrelated shop, and when she happens upon an old schoolmate, they wonder why she is not in university, given her previous grades, and why she suddenly left school without goodbyes.

The mother's finances are shaky, repeatedly being late with her shop's rent. Grandma is not too supportive, as (culturally) a married daughter is the responsibility of her husband's family. The owner / operator of the stall next to hers (who sells trinkets) takes a shine to her, but she refuses his help, preferring to pawn her jewelry to raise money.

Everything comes to a head at grandma's 60th birthday celebration, where various family secrets are revealed. I do wonder why they all have to be revealed at that time.

The actor playing the 5-year-old is very good, given that she has to play a wide range of emotions. The bustling shops of the market are an eye-opener, and it seems that motor scooters are a major form of transport. This becomes a fascinating glimpse of life in Taipei for ordinary people.

For an indie project, entirely shot on iPhones, it surprisingly tackles a myriad of socially relevant topics, from age-old superstitions to entrenched patriarchal practices.

What I particularly like is how it gives each of the main characters their moments to shine, highlighting their individual struggles without prioritizing one over the others.

It beautifully illustrates that everyone has their own challenges, and we all cope in different ways; some could handle things quietly, while others need to let it all out.

It's not overly heavy on the emotions, but the makers' intentions come across clearly. Plus, the "iPhone" footage adds a unique touch of realism to the whole storytelling experience.

Oh, and watch out for the twist at the end; I was flabbergasted.