Netflix has officially set the release date for Left-Handed Girl, the deeply personal debut solo feature from Taiwanese-American filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou.
The film will open in select theaters on November 14, 2025, followed by a global streaming release on November 28, 2025.
The intimate drama premiered earlier this year in Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival, where it earned attention for its layered storytelling and quiet emotional power. It has now been chosen as Taiwan’s official selection for Best International Film at the 2026 Academy Awards.
A Story Rooted in Taipei’s Night Markets
Left-Handed Girl follows a single mother and her two daughters who return to Taipei after several years in the countryside. Together they open a stall in a bustling night market, struggling to adapt while holding their fragile unity intact.
Conflict arises when the family’s traditional grandfather forbids his youngest granddaughter from using her left hand, dismissing it as a “devil hand.” His stance ignites tensions that expose long-buried family secrets and test the resilience of each generation.
The setting of Taipei’s crowded markets, captured with lived-in authenticity, frames the story as both personal and universal: a tale of family, superstition, and survival.
Behind the Camera
Shih-Ching Tsou makes her solo directorial debut with Left-Handed Girl, after co-directing the indie cult favorite Take-Out and producing Sean Baker’s Anora, which won Best Actress at Cannes 2024.
Longtime collaborator Sean Baker joins as co-writer, producer, and editor, bringing his signature mix of realism and empathy to the project.
The film was produced by:
- Shih-Ching Tsou
- Sean Baker
- Mike Goodridge
- Jean Labadie
- Alice Labadie
Production companies: Left-Handed Girl Film Production, LHG Films LTD, Good Chaos, Le Pacte..
Watch the Trailer
Cast and Characters
The cast features a quartet of performers who bring nuance and emotional depth to the story:
- Shih-Yuan Ma
- Janel Tsai
- Nina Ye
- Teng-Hui Huang
Together, they anchor a drama that examines generational trauma, cultural expectations, and the fragile strength of working-class women.
Release Details
- In Select Theaters: November 14, 2025
- On Netflix Worldwide: November 28, 2025
- Country of Origin: Taiwan
- Academy Awards 2026: Taiwan’s Official Selection for Best International Film
Why Left-Handed Girl Matters
With its intimate focus on family and its backdrop of Taipei’s vibrant night markets, Left-Handed Girl extends Netflix’s slate of international titles that amplify underrepresented voices.
The film is at once a cultural portrait and a universal family story, asking what happens when superstition collides with modern life, and when the bonds of love are tested by tradition.
As Taiwan’s Oscar submission, Left-Handed Girl Netflix has the potential to reach an even broader global audience, carrying its specificity of place into conversations about family, resilience, and identity.
With its November release, Left-Handed Girl Netflix becomes both a significant festival discovery and a contender on the awards circuit. Directed by Shih-Ching Tsou, co-written with Sean Baker, and chosen as Taiwan’s official Oscar entry, it marks a powerful debut that blends cultural specificity with universal themes. Left-Handed Girl Netflix streams globally on November 28, 2025.
The Poster
