'Left-Handed Girl' receives audience acclaim at Cannes Film Festival

Cannes, France, May 22 (CNA) Left-Handed Girl (左撇子女孩), a film by Taiwanese director Tsou Shih-ching (鄒時擎), received the Prix du Rail d'Or, an audience award presented during the Cannes Film Festival, on Thursday.

Co-written by Oscar-winning director Sean Baker, the film follows a single mother and her two daughters as they settle in Taipei after living in the countryside, with each adapting to the new environment in their own way, according to an introduction by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA).

Tsou, who was born in Taiwan and has lived in the United States for over 20 years, told CNA she wanted to immerse the audience in her characters' lives and "capture my memories of growing up in Taiwan."

She said she was still familiar with Taiwan, but her experience helps her "spot Taiwan."

One example, she said, was her desire to film Taiwan's distinctive white-and-green crosswalks, which she considers "very Taiwanese." However, the crew objected, saying they did not like how they looked on camera.

Still, she managed to include other iconic elements, such as the sounds of street vendors and garbage trucks.

In addition to sensory elements, she also showed Taiwan's traditional superstitions and values, including gender biases.

She said she hoped that the film would prompt the audience to think and help foster a more equal society.

She also touched on the universal theme of family.

"The family is a unique existence," she said. "Many things can be forgiven, forgotten as you continue forward. It is still a force of unity."

The Prix du Rail d'Or is awarded annually during the Cannes Film Festival by a film enthusiast association affiliated with France's national railway. Although unofficial, the award is "recognized for its audience-driven selection process and independent spirit," according to TAICCA.

On Wednesday, a French film distributor also won the 64th Critics 6 Week Prix Fondation Gan à la Diffusion for their acquisition of Left-Handed Girl.