diff --git a/strip_suffix.py b/strip_suffix.py
index 9fb5b38..1604d64 100644
--- a/strip_suffix.py
+++ b/strip_suffix.py
@@ -2,21 +2,67 @@ import os
 import re
 import sys
 import glob
+import unicodedata
+
+
+def _is_strippable_prefix_char(ch):
+    """Return True if ch is an emoji/symbol/whitespace character that should
+    be stripped when it appears at the start of a filename.
+    """
+    if ch.isspace():
+        return True
+    cp = ord(ch)
+    # Variation selectors (e.g. U+FE0F after ❤) and zero-width joiner
+    if 0xFE00 <= cp <= 0xFE0F or cp == 0x200D:
+        return True
+    # Common emoji / pictographic / symbol blocks
+    emoji_ranges = (
+        (0x2300, 0x23FF),    # Misc Technical (⏰ etc.)
+        (0x2460, 0x24FF),    # Enclosed Alphanumerics
+        (0x2500, 0x257F),    # Box Drawing
+        (0x2580, 0x259F),    # Block Elements
+        (0x25A0, 0x25FF),    # Geometric Shapes (⚫ is 0x26AB, but ▶ here)
+        (0x2600, 0x26FF),    # Misc Symbols (⚫ ❤ ☀ ...)
+        (0x2700, 0x27BF),    # Dingbats (✅ ✨ ...)
+        (0x2B00, 0x2BFF),    # Misc Symbols and Arrows
+        (0x1F000, 0x1FFFF),  # Supplementary symbols & emoji planes
+    )
+    for lo, hi in emoji_ranges:
+        if lo <= cp <= hi:
+            return True
+    # Unicode general categories: Symbol (So/Sk/Sm) and format chars
+    cat = unicodedata.category(ch)
+    if cat in ('So', 'Sk', 'Sm', 'Cf'):
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
+def strip_emoji_prefix(name):
+    """Strip leading emoji/symbol/whitespace characters from name."""
+    i = 0
+    while i < len(name) and _is_strippable_prefix_char(name[i]):
+        i += 1
+    return name[i:]
 
 
 def strip_duplicate_suffix(filename):
-    """Strips unwanted suffixes from a filename: OS-generated ' (2)', ' (3)',
-    and trailing ' - Join'.
+    """Strips unwanted prefixes/suffixes from a filename.
+
+    Suffixes removed: OS-generated ' (2)', ' (3)', and trailing ' - Join'.
+    Prefixes removed: leading emoji / special symbols (e.g. ⚫️, ❤️, ✅).
 
     Examples:
-        'video (2).mp4'     -> 'video.mp4'
-        'video (3).mp4'     -> 'video.mp4'
-        'video - Join.mp4'  -> 'video.mp4'
-        'video.mp4'         -> 'video.mp4'
+        'video (2).mp4'         -> 'video.mp4'
+        'video (3).mp4'         -> 'video.mp4'
+        'video - Join.mp4'      -> 'video.mp4'
+        '⚫️“啊~爸”.mp4'         -> '“啊~爸”.mp4'
+        '❤️hello.mp4'           -> 'hello.mp4'
+        'video.mp4'             -> 'video.mp4'
     """
     name, ext = os.path.splitext(filename)
     cleaned = re.sub(r'\s+\(\d+\)$', '', name)
     cleaned = re.sub(r'\s+-\s+Join$', '', cleaned)
+    cleaned = strip_emoji_prefix(cleaned)
     return cleaned + ext