Une langue universelle

This very unusual film by Matthew RANKIN is being entered by Canada into the race for the OSCAR for Best International Film and has already made it onto the shortlist for this award.

The interwoven stories are set in snow-covered Canada (in Quebec and Winnipeg) and tell of bizarre characters who experience very unusual things. No more should be revealed at this point, as this film thrives on its satirical bizarreness. We can reveal that the characters appear almost exclusively speak Persian, and the whole thing takes place against a very monotonous city backdrop. In Persian, UNE LANGUE UNIVERSELLE probably means THE SONG OF THE TURKEY. And a turkey is not entirely unimportant for the course of the plot.

The film is definitely something special and can be interpreted in many different ways. A story about migrants, problems of people from Iran in a bizarre setting or even a nightmare of a homeland where the familiar French is no longer spoken: all of these interpretations are conceivable and certainly many more. In any case, you experience a magically transfigured film that shows everything familiar in a new and satirically transfigured light. But above all, these are very human stories that bring a smile to the audience's face despite the icy cold of the snowy landscapes shown.

What happens when you take the cultural traditions of two seemingly distant worlds and fuse them into a chaotically harmonious mosaic? In "Universal Language", Matthew Rankin crafts a story that's both absurdly specific and oddly universal, examining Canadian identity through the lens of a deeply personal reimagining. The result is an ode to multiculturalism, brimming with ironic humor, cultural parodies, and a warm humanity that transcends linguistic boundaries.

From the start, Rankin plunges us into an alternate Canada where Farsi and French are the official languages. This choice might seem random at first, but it's actually a meticulous effort to subvert traditional narratives of Canadian identity. The visual humor-like a Winnipeg school sign written in Persian script-sets the film's quirky tone, blending magical realism with deadpan comedy. Professor Bilodeau, played with biting wit by Mani Soleymanlou, becomes both a symbol of everyday exasperation and a tragicomic figure embodying the tensions between cultural tradition and innovation.

The journey of sisters Negin (Rojina Esmaeili) and Nazgol (Saba Vahedyousefi) captures Rankin's vision of childhood as a realm of improbable discoveries and absurd adventures. When they find a frozen banknote stuck in ice, their innocent desire to free it morphs into a mission that takes them through brutalist neighborhoods with monochromatic names. This icy, concrete setting deliciously contrasts with the cultural vibrancy brought to life by the sisters' Farsi dialogue and boundless energy. Their quest isn't just about retrieving a piece of money-it's a metaphor for perseverance and the search for meaning in an often indifferent world.

In a parallel narrative, Rankin inserts himself as a fictionalized version of himself, delivering a storyline that's equal parts comedic and introspective. His journey to visit his ailing mother in Manitoba highlights the peculiarities of Canadian life: a live turkey with its own seat on the bus, banal monuments celebrated as historical landmarks. This balance between the mundane and the surreal is where the film truly shines, transforming small, everyday details into sharp commentary on national identity, collective memory, and the bonds that connect us.

Rankin's cinematic influences are both obvious and masterfully employed. Winnipeg's aesthetic recalls the work of Guy Maddin, while the bizarre scenarios evoke Roy Andersson's humor. Yet at its heart, the film pulses with the sensitivity of Abbas Kiarostami. The classroom scenes, blending humor with a touch of melancholy, are a direct homage to Iranian cinema, adding a layer of universality that transcends geography. This cultural connection isn't a superficial gimmick but is deeply woven into the narrative, reflecting Rankin's genuine effort to explore what it means to belong in a constantly shifting world.

Even in its lightheartedness, "Universal Language" delivers a sharp critique of identity and cultural integration. By reimagining Canada as a space shared between two cultures, the film challenges xenophobia and isolation, offering a vision where differences are celebrated rather than erased. There's also a playful provocation in the film's visual and narrative choices, like Tim Hortons signs written in Farsi or pharmacies embracing the exaggerated minimalism of the No Name brand. These local jokes might not land as strongly with international audiences, but they add layers of authenticity for those familiar with Canadian cultural symbols.

What truly elevates "Universal Language", though, is its ability to balance absurdity with empathy. No matter how eccentric the situations get-whether it's Turks navigating the city or reenactments of 1950s parking lot incidents-the film never loses sight of its characters' humanity. The third act's role-swapping among actors reinforces the idea that, despite cultural or linguistic differences, we share a common essence.

In the end, Rankin delivers more than a film-he offers a cinematic experience that challenges conventions while celebrating life's complexity. "Universal Language" isn't just a cultural satire or a surreal homage; it's a reminder that, even in a fragmented world, there's still room for connection, understanding, and, of course, a little bit of madness.

This brilliant gem of film traces the the interacting lives of a group of children trying to find some money to help a schoolmate and a son returning for his mother's birthday. T The film establishes a unique and somewhat surreal fantasy universe, where most residents speak Farsi and have Iranian descent. The setting, characterized by graveyards alongside highways, empty malls, and rural bars, evokes a sense of emptiness and isolation reminiscent of the show "Northern Exposure" after developers arrived in the town. Like "Northern Exposure," "Universal Language" centers around the central decency and humanity of its characters. The film's peculiarity lies in its exceptional use of cuts, shots, and color, which prevents it from becoming cloying. Instead, it serves as an earnest exploration of memory and responsibility.

Universal Language is an intriguing film that tells three stories set in Winnipeg, Canada. A government worker in Quebec leaves his job and heads for home to see the mother he left years ago. A tour guide shows the curious tourist attractions of Winnipeg in the most bizarre of the three stories. Finally, two children try and rescue a large bill frozen in ice so that a school friend can buy much needed glasses.

All three of these stories on the surface sound naturalistic, but director Mathew Rankin has a few tricks up his sleeve.

For instance, all of these stories take place in the Iranian communities of Winnipeg. Are there Iranians in Canada? Yes, according to Wikipedia, .8% of Canadians are of Iranian descent. That means about eight in one thousand. However, Universal Language takes place in a world where nearly half of the country (or at least nearly half of Winnipeg) is Iranian. Signs are in both French and Farsi (strangely, none in English). Also, while I don't know much about money in either Canada or Iran, I doubt if either country has Edgar Allan Poe on its currency (although they should).

This summary sounds like a weird comedy in the Guy Maddin tradition, and some of Universal Language has that vibe. However, there is a serious side to the film. The story with the children trying to rescue a bill from ice recalls the children focused Iranian films Children of Heaven and The White Balloon. Like those film, the story has an earnest quality to it even with the bizarre touches (like the butcher hot to show his turkey decapitating saw to the children).

Finally, I must mention the reunion between the government worker and his mother. The film concludes with a sadness that I had not expected.

Universal Language is not a film for everyone. I was the only viewer of the four in the theater to find the film funny. The other three did not seem to "get" the film. That is too bad. Universal Language is a film that deserves more recognition than it has received.

The film takes place in an alternate surreal reality where English doesn't exist, Winnipeg's native language is for some reason Persian of all languages and Tim Horton's sells tea instead of coffee. No reason to explain why, the start credits are already in Persian, enter a world of subtle absurdities. But this is not a foreign movie, there's not much else about Iran or Iranians (the plot/trailer are misleading), it's supposed to be ordinary Winnipeggers. The rest is just a lovely universal human story mixed with alternative facts and made up history.

For the big fans of absurd humour such as myself, the sense of humour is impeccable. Matched with visually interesting filming locations, like large patterned cement buildings akin of 50s futuristic worlds, good music and good performances. You might need to be Quebecois to appreciate how funny the Quebec bits are.