When you have a strong association with a filmmaker of higher visibility and (much as I hate to put it this way) rank, decoupling that association and sliding out from their shadow is typically a big ask. I don’t think that’s the case with Shih-Ching Tsou. Her first solo directing gig, Left-Handed Girl, contains the hallmarks of Sean Baker‘s style of cinema, sure, but it’s important to note that Tsou was at the ground floor when he started his career, so that “style” is as much hers as his. Tsou isn’t making a Baker movie here. She’s making a Tsou movie.
I had a nice chat with her about it for JoySauce, back in November, when the film came out.
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