Matthew Rankin’s ‘Universal Language’ Named As Canada’s Oscar Entry For 2025

Matt Grobar
·2 min read

On the heels of its world premiere at Cannes, Matthew Rankin’s comedy Universal Language has been named as Canada’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

The film, written by Rankin, Pirouz Nemati and Ila Firouzabadi, will look to become the ninth in Canada’s history to be recognized in the category. Most recently representing the country was Kim Nguyen’s Rebelle in 2013.

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As the appointed non-voting chair of the committee, Telefilm Canada organizes the annual pan-Canadian Selection Committee for Canada’s Oscar submission. The vote was determined by a group of industry organizations and guilds, as well as filmmakers and industry professionals appointed to represent organizations.

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Produced by Metafilms, Universal Language is set in winter, somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg, watching as Negin and Nazgol find a large sum of money frozen deep within the sidewalk ice and try to find a way to get it out. Massoud leads a group of befuddled tourists upon an increasingly absurd walking tour of Winnipeg monuments and historic sites. Matthew leaves his job at the Québec government and embarks upon a mysterious journey to visit his estranged mother. Time, geography and identities crossfade, interweave and collide into a surreal comedy of misdirection.

Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, Pirouz Nemati, Mani Soleymanlou and Rankin star in the film, coming up for release on September 20. Oscilloscope is releasing it in the U.S., with Maison 4:3 distributing it in Canada. Best Friend Forever is handling worldwide sales. The film makes its North American premiere at TIFF on September 10.

Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada, stated that Universal Language “is emblematic of our national cinematography: with the success it has enjoyed since its launch at Cannes, no matter what the language, it reaches audiences here and abroad. That’s the power of cinema! We wish Matthew Rankin, Sylvain Corbeil and the entire creative team the best of luck!”

Stated Rankin, “We are amazed by this improbable selection and we will do our very best to represent Canada at the Oscars. Universal Language is an expression of very great collective joy between myself and my friends Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi, Sylvain Corbeil and all the beautiful and hilarious people who created this strange, triangle-shaped, Irano-Winnipego-Québécois brain which became our film, beh naamé doosti (in the Name of Friendship).”

So far, nine countries have submitted entries for the Best International Feature Film category, so the Oscars have a ways to go to match last year’s 88. Submissions to the category must be in by October 2, with Academy shortlists to be unveiled on December 17. The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 17, 2025, with the ceremony to take place on March 2.

Rankin is represented by Cinetic Media.

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