One of the most acclaimed indie films of the year from the winner of last year’s Best Picture Oscar will be streaming on Netflix from Friday
Netflix is adding one of the best films of 2025 that you may not have heard of but is definitely worth your attention this week.
From director Shih-Ching Tsou and co-written by her long-time collaborator Sean Baker, Left-Handed Girl is a brilliantly understated family drama that will leave you breathless.
Baker is the most recent recipient of the Best Picture trophy at the Academy Awards for his masterful modern epic Anora, starring Mikey Madison, while Tsou has worked with him on his other films such as Tangerine and The Florida Project.
Tsou has now made her solo directorial debut with Left-Handed Girl, a heartfelt portrait of single mother Shu-Fen (played by Janel Tsai) who moves back to Taipei with her two daughters.
When her five-year-old I-Jing (Nina Ye) develops a dominant left hand, the family struggles to come to terms with her newfound quirk when her superstitious grandpa calls it her “devil hand” and forbids I-Jing from using it.
Set to stream on Netflix from Friday, 28th November, the film has already received critical acclaim and will be Taiwan’s submission for best international film at next year’s Oscars.
The Guardian has awarded it five-stars, writing this “striking Taiwanese family drama is a real marvel”.
They went on: “Tsou and Baker’s script sharply examines what it really means to lose face: which shames are noble, which are indulgent and what should be passed from one generation to the next?”
“Above all else, this film features what may be one of the best child performances that I’ve seen in recent memory,” one Letterboxd reviewer claimed after seeing Left-Handed Girl at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“Where this movie goes from one innocent little assumption passed by family escalates into something unexpected. It’s enough to prove Shih-Ching Tsou is on her way to becoming a great filmmaker in her own right too.”
Someone else shared: “Genuinely a very strong contender for the best film of the year. So glad I took the time to see this.
“It was so nice to hear the incredibly positive reactions from the other folks around me in the theatre when the credits rolled. It’s been a minute since I’ve been in a theatre where the audience clapped at the end. So lovely!”
A third wrote: “It does not surprise me that Sean Baker is one of the screenwriters on this film. It is a beautifully nuanced depiction of family dynamics, and family secrets.
“The wonderful performances, sometimes very raw, also felt very flawed and real. This film and also their other collaborations all worth revisiting!”
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And a final fan said: “What a remarkable film. One of the most charming kid performances I’ve seen.
“The stories/struggles of each character in this family are so well balanced. Every heartwarming and heartbreaking moment just lands perfectly.”
Will you be checking out this lesser-known gem from Taiwan now it’s becoming available to stream at home?
Left-Handed Girl is streaming from Friday, 28th November on Netflix.
