Winnipeg-born filmmaker Matthew Rankin’s latest project, Universal Language, has been selected as Canada’s contender for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 2, 2025.
Rankin, who co-directed and co-wrote the film, expressed surprise at the announcement by Telefilm Canada, noting the film’s unconventional nature. “I’m sort of flabbergasted; it’s a very unusual movie and not an obvious choice by any means,” Rankin said. “And of course, I’m from Winnipeg, so any hubris I might have ever had has long since been beaten out of me.”
Universal Language, filmed in Winnipeg and Montreal, premiered to critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, presented in French and Farsi, explores a fictional version of Winnipeg where a burgeoning Persian community profoundly influences the city’s cultural landscape.
Rankin, speaking from Montreal, also highlighted his excitement for his team, including friends and collaborators from Winnipeg. “I made this film with lots of people that I really love,” he noted. “It’s a beautiful recognition of our work and we’ll do our best to represent Canada at that strange event.”
Since its inception, the Academy Awards have recognized eight Canadian films in the Best International Feature Film category, with Les Invasions barbares by Denys Arcand winning the award in 2004. Most recently, Rebelle by Kim Nguyen was nominated in 2013.
Julie Roy, executive director and CEO of Telefilm Canada, praised the film’s representation of Canadian cinema. “This film is emblematic of our national cinematography,” Roy said. “With the success it has enjoyed since its launch at Cannes, no matter what the language, it reaches audiences here and abroad.”
Universal Language will have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 10. The Academy’s shortlist of 15 international films will be announced in December, with the film scheduled for a theatrical release in late January 2025.
The selection process for Canada’s Oscar submission was managed by a pan-Canadian committee coordinated by Telefilm Canada, reviewing 26 submitted films this year.
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