Drama film 'Left-Handed Girl' to represent Taiwan at 2026 Oscars

Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) "Left-Handed Girl" (左撇子女孩), by director Tsou Shih-ching (鄒時擎), has been chosen as Taiwan's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at next year's Academy Awards, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) announced Thursday.

In a statement, the MOC praised the film for its "vivid portrayal of Taiwan's night markets, told through the perspective of a left-handed girl, highlighting her coming-of-age journey amid clashes with traditional patriarchal society."

The 2025 drama was selected from 11 candidates by a panel convened by the ministry's Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development.

"Left-Handed Girl," set against the bustling night markets of Taipei, portrays a moving story spanning three generations of women, the MOC said.

Co-written by Oscar-winning director Sean Baker, it 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.

The film has won numerous international awards, including the Gan Foundation Award for Distribution and Prix du Rail d'Or, an audience award, presented during the Cannes Film Festival in May.

It will also be featured at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival in September, and compete for a prize at the 30th Busan International Film Festival in the same month.

"Left-Handed Girl" will begin its commercial release in several French cities on Sept. 17, followed by Taiwan on Oct. 31. Starting in November, the film will roll out in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and debut globally on Netflix on Nov. 28.

The 98th Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are slated for March 15, 2026.