As a connoisseur of international cinema and a passionate admirer of the quirky and the avant-garde, I am utterly thrilled by the news of Matthew Rankin’s “Universal Language” representing Canada at the Oscars! This film is not just a cinematic delight, but a testament to the power of friendship and artistic collaboration.
The film titled “Universal Language,” directed by Matthew Rankin, was awarded the audience prize for the top film in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival. Now, it has been selected to represent Canada and compete in the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards.
The unconventional humor found in both Farsi and French movies set in Montreal and Winnipeg, Canada, serves as an eccentric tribute to Iranian cinema. In the movie titled “Universal Language“, Rankin creatively portrays a Canada where Farsi has become the primary language.
Organized in a manner similar to a Venn diagram, Universal Language can be summarized as “a documentary-style film blending elements of absurdist city symphonies, evoking confinement-era feelings and emotions, and delving into the enigmatic boundary where one individual merges with the greater world. It is a faint yet powerful recollection of home, solitude, our obligations towards others, and the peculiar presence of wild turkeys that persist in our consciousness.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Director Rankin expressed his astonishment at the unexpected choice and vowed to strive for excellence in representing Canada at the Oscars. He stated that “Universal Language” is a testament to an immense sense of camaraderie shared between myself, Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi, Sylvain Corbeil, and all those who contributed to the creation of this peculiar, triangle-shaped film with an Irano-Winnipego-Québécois origin, which we affectionately refer to as beh naamé doosti (in the Name of Friendship).
This group of talented actors consists of Rankin, Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, Sobhan Javadi, Pirouz Nemati (also known as Matthew Rankin), Mani Soleymanlou, Danielle Fichaud, Bahram Nabatian, Ila Firouzabadi, Hemela Pourafzal, and Dara Najmabadi.
Universal Language will also have a North American premiere at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.
Universal Language was developed under the guidance of Rankin, who collaborated with Pirouz Nemati and Ila Firouzabadi on the script. Sylvain Corbeil took on the producer’s role. The movie is a Metafilms production, set to be distributed in Canada by Maison 4:3 International. Oscilloscope Laboratories will handle domestic sales.
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2024-08-27 22:25