Thoughts from the committee
Oscar Wilde described the purpose of art as the telling of “beautiful lies”. In Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language, the unusual and whimsical aspects of the world are false – that is, there is no world in which Persian replaced English as one of Canada’s official languages; there is no Winnipeg Earmuff Authority – but these absurdities might help us catch a glimpse of something true about living in a globalised but bureaucratic world.
Several different stories intertwine in this Canadian comedy: a group of confused tourists see the sights of Winnipeg; two children find a trove of money frozen in the winter ice; Matthew (Rankin, playing a character with his own name) goes on a trip to visit his mother after quitting his government job. All these people are trying to grab hold of something that doesn’t have a name, exactly: along the way they’ll meet people who are as unique as they are.
Produced by the same studio behind other Canadian indie hits as Falcon Lake and the films of Xavier Dolan, Universal Language is Rankin’s debut feature. With a cast of talented first-time actors, the film is a refreshingly modern reflection on identity, while also hinting at early Wes Anderson films and the oeuvre of Abbas Kiarostami. Canadian viewers will also find a lot to like in the Tim Horton’s tearoom and hashish lounge.
“Rankin’s film encourages viewers to dig deeper and consider the nature of perspective, challenging expectations while also being comforted by the commonplace.” – Jason Gorber, Collider