Une langue universelle

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.

From its cinematography and its usual search for symmetry, static or in traveling shots, and pleasant aesthetics with a dreamlike atmosphere enhancing the settings universality, to its story revolving around different characters, how their lives intersect and enliven a dialogue sometimes polite, other times not so much, a Wes Anderson influence crosses Matthew Rankin's feature from beginning to end.

As in Anderson's films, Rankin's is interested in exploring the reality of his film, a reality full of idiosyncrasies that serve as fertile ground for comedy. An angry teacher in a class shouting at the students, one of whom claims a turkey stole his glasses; another one is dressed up as a Groucho Marx as he wants to be a comedian; and another as a fashionista. A freelance tourist guide with strange choices for his tour, etc. With a comedy consisting of wry, deadpan, and dark humor, Une langue universelle manages to be hilarious every time it wants to. There are many times when its happenings border absurdism or surrealism, furthering the comedy that bathes it yet never undermining its aim at thought-provoking profundity. Rankin's dexterity manages to evoke a surrealist dreamlike fable but also an expressive introspective melancholy. Elements and sentiments that coalesce and give life to a special experience between places and times, realities and dreams. For instance, in the reality of the movie, even if we are in Canada, French, let alone English, seems to be a second language, and in its place there is Persian. They all speak it, and signs and billboards are written in it, rendering its result as something close yet distant, known and unknown intermingle in a culturally and demographically blind new reality.

In terms of cinematography, many times resembling that of Anderson, more in framing and movement than in color palette, there is a constant will to inhabit the spaces where the characters are in. The camera is sometimes static from a distance, observing their movement and how it affects the surroundings instead of focusing on their faces and expressions with close-ups. It is as if the place is as important as the characters for the telling of the story, and Rankin wants to make sure we delve into it as tourists from a foreign land. And while in terms of names we may know these cities, in the framework of the movie and its demographic profile unmatching our knowledge, there may be reasons to delve into these spaces.

For its creativity, inventiveness, soundtrack, boldness, unique humor, cast, and sociolinguistic vision, it's a yes. For the film's length, contextual setup, and a few redundancies, it's less so. Excellent directing technique and a brilliant idea in how the characters are written in one of the film's final scenes (a remarkable process) and its significance up to the end. One shouldn't go into this movie expecting a linear narrative. That said, this aspect doesn't truly detract from the quality of the plot. A beautiful progression from Rankin as a director since his film The Twentieth Century. A few common elements between these two productions (dreamlike quality, kitsch...) are already beginning to define what will become his personal signature over time.

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE (2025) Matthew Rankin's absurdist film about finding one's self. Set in the Persian community in Canada, the story follows a government administrator named Matthew (and played by the Director) who leaves a position in French speaking Quebec to visit his mother in Winnipeg (he describes his job as the most "neutral" of his career). Along the way he encounters two schoolchildren who are trying to uncover some lost money which is encased in ice (where else?). He discovers that his mother is living with a tour guide, Massoud (Pirouz Nemati), and his family.

Rankin's screenplay (written in collaboration with Nemati and Ila Firouzabadi - who also has a role) is all about the journey. The script is full of witty details like insanely specific storefronts which specialize in only one thing - Birthday cakes, typewriters, chainsaws etc.. There are people wandering the streets asking if anybody needs to have their papers shredded - on the spot! A running gag involves a man (Bahram Nabatian) who is renowned for his knowledge of turkeys and has a series of TV commercials to spread his legend. And, of course, there's a very special Tim Hortons.

Shooting in 16mm, Cinematographer Isabelle Stachtchenko gives the film a strong formalist vision. The locations are often bland building after bland building or incongrous - such as a cemetary along a highway intersection. Rankin's compositions may remind one of a Roy Andersson or, more specifically, Winnipeg's own Guy Maddin. Iranian cinema is evoked. The dry dialogue can call to mind the great Aki Kaurismäki (he of equally frigid Finland), but Rankin makes UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE his own.

There is a bit of a metaphysical turn in the film which emphasises Rankin's theme of how every human must discover their own 'language'. It's not based on speech, nationality or country, but comes from within each and every individual. It's a fractured fairy tale in the best sense, at once witty, but subtely profound at the same time.

Travel Tip: When visiting Winnipeg keep in mind that loitering laws are Strictly Enforced.

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.