School can be a magical place. Yes, we learn from teachers and instructors — but we also meet people who can change the course of our lives. And film school is no different.
For Taiwanese filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou, meeting Sean Baker in a film editing class at AFI sparked a creative partnership that would go on for years to come. Together, they co-directed the 2004 feature TAKE OUT, and went on to collaborate on acclaimed films including TANGERINE, THE FLORIDA PROJECT, and RED ROCKET. Now, after years of creative evolution, that partnership has led to a new film — LEFT-HANDED GIRL — a deeply personal story about a young girl confronting cultural barriers and expectations in Taiwan. Set amid the vibrant energy of Taipei’s night markets, the film is both intimate and universal.
LEFT-HANDED GIRL is written & directed by Shih-Ching Tsou, co written and edited and by multi–Oscar-winning filmmaker Sean Baker. It has gone on to play major international film festivals, including a celebrated screening at Cannes. The film is also Taiwan’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards, competing for Best International Feature Film, and showcasing a trio of extraordinary actresses.
On this episode of Inside the Arthouse, we talk with Shih-Ching Tsou about her path to making this film, and how her experiences and collaborations have influenced her work.
If you’ve ever had to push past traditional expectations to follow your own path, this conversation will resonate with you. That conversation on Inside the Arthouse— starting now.
When Burt, a 69 year old street musician living with Parkinson’s, is visited by a young man claiming to be his son, a quiet weekend spirals into a tense, darkly funny exploration of identity, trust, and second chances.
Lonely but full of heart, Burt seizes the chance to build the kind of connection he’s always longed for, inviting Sammy to stay the weekend in the modest home he shares with his cantankerous landlord, Steve. As the two men navigate the awkward terrain of newfound family, secrets surface, tensions simmer, and unlikely bonds form in this poignant, music- laced tale of second chances. fatherhood, and the redemptive power of human connection.
Inspired by the real life of singer/songwriter Burt Berger – this film blurs the line between reality and fiction with disarming authenticity. An instant laugh-out-loud-and-cry indie darling, Burt delivers heart, humor, and authenticity in equal measure