An introduction to Universal Language
Notes from an introduction to Universal Language (Rankin 2024) by Dan Katz at our screening in April 2026. Our audience gave this film 3.1 stars.
Universal Language is a 2024 Canadian experimental absurdist comedy-drama co-written and directed by Matthew Rankin. Rankin also stars in the film, alongside Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, and Pirouz Nemati (who was also one of the co-writers, along with Ila Firouzabadi who has a brief cameo as The Bus Driver). The predominant language spoken in the film is Farsi, with some French (so Rankin is working in his second and third languages). Incidentally, the film has a completely different title in Farsi - the literal translation is “Song of the Turkeys”, which may make more sense after watching!
The film has won a bucket load of awards from, amongst others, the Cannes Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival and the Canadian Screen Awards, across a range of categories, including for Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Art Direction & Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Editing and Best Casting.
Influences
I think the tagline used in much of the promotional material does a good job of summing up the vibe: “Time, geography and personal identities crossfade, interweave and collide into a surreal comedy of disorientation.” Universal Language largely takes place in an imagined version of Winnipeg heavily inspired by Tehran. Rankin described the setting as not being so much an alternative history, more an alternative geography, and the film revels in this juxtaposition of the very Canadian and the very Iranian.
Universal Language is also a funny, moving, beautiful love letter to Iranian Cinema and its poetic realist traditions, and again contrasts this against Canadian cinematic traditions of surrealism and melancholy. Rankin says, “Iranian cinema emerges out of 1000 years of poetry and Winnipeg Cinema emerges out of 50 years of discount furniture commercials.” I think you can very clearly see the influence of both in this film. It has certainly got me curious to explore Iranian cinema!
Themes and cinematography
I’ve described the film as experimental and absurdist. There can be a danger with such films that they become primarily intellectual exercises, lacking an emotional heart. This is absolutely not the case with Universal Language. Rankin uses absurdity as a lens for exploring themes of solitude and community, identity and belonging. It is deadpan yet heartfelt, its locations are spectacularly banal and its characters are colourfully ordinary. The film was made in close collaboration with Winnipeg’s Iranian community - and most of the cast are not professional actors, but friends of the creators; Rankin’s creative collaborators are his best friends.
In researching this introduction, I was surprised to learn that Universal Language is somewhat autobiographical - which probably also contributes to the film’s heart. There are 3 main plots which weave through each other in odd, delightful and satisfying ways, and all of which were inspired by stories from Rankin’s own life:
One strand is based on an event from his grandmother’s childhood.
Another is inspired by his father’s strange fascination with the banality of Winnipeg.
And finally, director Matthew Rankin plays a character called “Matthew Rankin”, in a story inspired by what he was going through when the movie started production.
When we select our films for these screenings, we only really have the trailers and maybe a couple of reviews to base our decisions on. It was the stunning visuals of Universal Language that immediately grabbed us in the trailer with its stark, minimalist beauty. The shots are beautifully composed, the actors pop against the snowy, brutalist backdrop and there were a few shots that felt like a classic cartoon, with static backgrounds and animated characters. Director of Photography Isabelle Stachtchenko has managed to create a feeling of a kind of ‘warmth’ in this desolate snow-clad alternate world. The film is certainly a feast for the eyes. (It is also very funny. There are many jokes and situations that still make me laugh just to think about.)
A few facts
To finish off, I’m going to give you a few bits of context that I think would have been good to know before watching the film:
Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba, in central Canada, and English is its first language.
The founder of the province of Manitoba was Louis Riel.
The currency of Iran is the Rial.
Tim Hortons is a well-known Canadian coffee and food chain known for its donuts.
There is a lot more that I could say about this film, and I’m really looking forward to discussing it in more depth at Sunday’s film chat. I’m excited that I get to watch it again! It is impossible to succinctly sum it up in a snappy soundbite, so maybe I’ll leave the final words to Rankin, who says of his film: “the story is mainly a sequence of tableaux of people being nice to each other.” Enjoy.
Further reading
Matthew Rankin on the raw, personal story of Universal Language - from Studio9 - TIFF, YouTube, 18 Sep 2024
Matthew Rankin, Ila Firouzabadi, Pirouz Nemati & More on Universal Language (video of panel discussion) - Film at Lincoln Center, YouTube, 10 Oct 2024
“Institutions Have Collapsed”: Universal Language Team on Iranian Cinema, Individualism, and Canadian History - Steve Erickson, The Film Stage, 11 Feb 2025
Universal Language Is the Perfect Blend of Poetry, Parody and Sexy Turkeys - David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb 2025
How his love for Iranian cinema inspired Matthew Rankin's latest film (interview) - Q with Tom Power, YouTube, 30 May 2025
On relating to the world imaginatively (interview with Matthew Rankin) - Lindsey King, The Creative Independent, 13 Jun 2025