742:
29:
401:
wrote that the film "is doggedly eccentric, something thatâs mirrored in its exaggerated aesthetic. Thereâs a pink cowboy-hatted singing turkey-shop worker; a man wandering around wearing a lit
Christmas tree over his body; an absurdist bingo hall where men and women are interchangeable. Inside a
288:", the film blends the seemingly unrelated stories of Negin and Nazgol, who find money frozen in ice and try to claim it; Massoud, a tour guide in Winnipeg who is leading a confused and disoriented tour group; and Matthew (Rankin), who quits his unfulfilling job with the provincial government of
406:
tribute â only theyâre beige. Thereâs also a âKleenex repositoryâ and reference made to a âWinnipeg
Earmuff Authorityâ. Sad-eyed characters say things like: âMy son choked to death in a marshmallow-eating contest,â or âshe was flattened in a steamrolling accidentâ. You could call it whimsical.
996:
484:
261:
479:
416:, David Ehrlich noted that the film "is first and foremost a testament to the shared artifice of all filmic storytelling, and to the singular realities itâs able to bring alive in turn."
553:
1466:
445:
987:
1457:
429:
called the film the best he had seen at Cannes and "a magnificent film, one that feels warm and familiar even as we realize just how startlingly original it is."
858:
980:
407:
Absurdist. Contrived. Or an unexpectedly unusual concept album that doesnât quite come off but was worth the effort. And you would be correct every time."
381:
313:
1504:
1004:
456:
265:
973:
1450:
667:
505:
620:
1777:
1443:
573:
1564:
915:
345:
809:
1797:
965:
859:"Matthew Rankinâs Persian, French-language drama âUniversal Languageâ wins inaugural Cannes Directorsâ Fortnight audience award"
834:
467:
896:
1787:
1286:
441:
554:"Best Friend Forever Boards Sales On Cannes Directorsâ Fortnight Title âUniversal Languageâ; Oscilloscope Takes U.S. Rights"
526:
1782:
1767:
687:
645:
1107:
789:
877:
352:
1812:
1358:
1435:
1762:
1584:
1514:
1147:
1807:
1802:
1544:
1792:
1027:
1710:
1262:
1238:
356:
1772:
1574:
1067:
341:
188:
1366:
1075:
1043:
389:
995:
392:, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
1614:
1294:
1254:
1211:
1179:
598:
337:
768:
593:
1494:
692:
1670:
1640:
1406:
1334:
1051:
810:"'Universal Language' Review: Guy Maddin Meets Abbas Kiarostami in a Deadpan Canadian Fable"
1604:
1534:
1382:
1203:
1163:
1099:
1091:
1083:
1059:
714:
625:
578:
741:
8:
1757:
1374:
1123:
920:
510:
460:
318:
269:
1230:
28:
1390:
1302:
1195:
1035:
882:
558:
531:
754:
485:
List of
Canadian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
1700:
1554:
1465:
1342:
1278:
1139:
1131:
1019:
960:
421:
373:
250:
1634:
1624:
1484:
403:
325:
242:
116:
55:
480:
List of submissions to the 97th
Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
1690:
1650:
1594:
1350:
1318:
723:
377:
234:
96:
43:
437:
At Cannes, the film won the
Directors Fortnight program's first Audience Award.
1660:
1524:
1246:
1000:
728:
257:
74:
527:"Matthew Rankin's 'Universal Language' Named As Canada's Oscar Entry For 2025"
1751:
1398:
1171:
640:
452:
1414:
863:
794:
672:
397:
253:
954:
934:
426:
280:
Described as a "surreal comedy of disorientation" set "somewhere between
897:"âThe Life of Chuckâ Wins Toronto Film Festivalâs Peopleâs Choice Award"
1270:
763:
385:
384:
of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.1/10.
1680:
1326:
1310:
1115:
412:
285:
1155:
835:"The Best Movie at Cannes This Year Is an Oddball Canadian Comedy"
506:"Matthew Rankin comedy to debut in Directors' Fortnight in Cannes"
1467:
Toronto
International Film Festival Best Canadian Discovery Award
1187:
901:
289:
281:
916:"Rankinâs Universal Language is Canadaâs pick for 97th Oscars"
668:"Une langue universelle de Matthew Rankin en ouverture du FNC"
344:
on May 18, 2024, and had its North
American premiere at the
451:
The film has been selected as Canada's submission for the
351:
It is also slated to screen as the opening film of the
935:"Sweet Angel Baby leads DGC Awardsâ film nominations"
355:. It will also screen in the Currents section of the
621:"Toronto unveils 43 titles in Centrepiece programme"
574:"Cannes 2024 Directors' Fortnight line-up unveiled"
292:and travels home to Winnipeg to visit his mother.
444:, the Bright Horizons Award. At TIFF, it won the
1749:
688:"62nd New York Film Festival Currents Announced"
707:
1505:Just Watch Me: Trudeau and the '70s Generation
1451:
981:
1458:
1444:
988:
974:
747:
740:
27:
504:Mirza, Taimur Sikander (April 16, 2024).
1565:The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico
346:49th Toronto International Film Festival
807:
571:
440:The film won the top prize at the 2024
402:pharmacy, all the labels are a generic
336:The film had its world premiere in the
1750:
524:
466:The film was shortlisted for the 2024
1439:
969:
832:
790:"âUniversal Languageâ: Cannes Review"
665:
503:
442:Melbourne International Film Festival
878:"2024 MIFF Awards Winners Announced"
468:Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award
367:
618:
246:
13:
1108:The Decline of the American Empire
14:
1824:
948:
256:film, co-written and directed by
1778:Films directed by Matthew Rankin
1585:Continental, a Film Without Guns
1515:The Left-Hand Side of the Fridge
525:Grobar, Matt (August 27, 2024).
1005:Best International Feature Film
927:
908:
889:
870:
851:
826:
801:
782:
572:Leffler, Rebecca (2024-04-16).
457:Best International Feature Film
353:2024 Festival du nouveau cinéma
266:Best International Feature Film
16:2024 Canadian comedy-drama film
1798:French-language Canadian films
1545:Love, Sex and Eating the Bones
1359:It's Only the End of the World
680:
659:
633:
612:
586:
565:
546:
518:
497:
1:
1028:The True Nature of Bernadette
808:Ehrlich, David (2024-05-24).
666:Rioux, Charles (2024-09-25).
490:
446:Best Canadian Discovery Award
1788:2020s Persian-language films
362:
7:
1783:2020s French-language films
1768:Canadian comedy-drama films
1474:Best Canadian First Feature
1239:Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
833:Ebiri, Bilge (2024-05-23).
473:
357:62nd New York Film Festival
10:
1829:
1575:On the Trail of Igor Rizzi
619:Kay, Jeremy (2024-08-06).
331:
144:Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux
33:Promotional release poster
1722:
1473:
1222:
1011:
432:
342:77th Cannes Film Festival
260:. It was selected as the
216:
208:
198:
170:
162:
148:
138:
130:
122:
102:
92:
80:
70:
66:
54:
42:
38:
26:
21:
1813:Films shot in 16 mm film
1367:Hochelaga, Land of Souls
1044:J.A. Martin Photographer
594:"Une langue universelle"
1763:2024 comedy-drama films
1723:Best Canadian Discovery
1615:The High Cost of Living
1295:The Necessities of Life
1255:The Barbarian Invasions
599:Quinzaine des cinéastes
295:
275:
1808:Films shot in Winnipeg
693:Film at Lincoln Center
395:Fionnuala Halligan of
239:Une langue universelle
238:
179:May 18, 2024
49:Une langue universelle
1803:Films set in Winnipeg
1711:The Twentieth Century
1052:A Scream from Silence
941:, September 20, 2024.
905:, September 15, 2024.
676:(in Canadian French).
249:) is a 2024 Canadian
126:Isabelle Stachtchenko
1793:2020s Canadian films
1263:Far Side of the Moon
1204:August 32nd on Earth
1164:The Sex of the Stars
1148:A Bullet in the Head
1100:Jacques and November
997:Canadian submissions
788:Fionnuala Halligan,
641:"Universal Language"
626:Screen International
579:Screen International
552:Melanie Goodfellow,
338:Directors' Fortnight
1124:The Revolving Doors
461:97th Academy Awards
270:97th Academy Awards
1734:Universal Language
1423:Universal Language
1391:14 Days, 12 Nights
1303:I Killed My Mother
1068:The Plouffe Family
956:Universal Language
939:Broadcast Dialogue
924:, August 27, 2024.
886:, August 26, 2024.
757:Universal Language
717:Universal Language
559:Deadline Hollywood
532:Deadline Hollywood
230:Universal Language
22:Universal Language
1773:Absurdist fiction
1745:
1744:
1701:Roads in February
1433:
1432:
1140:An Imaginary Tale
1132:Jesus of Montreal
1020:Mon oncle Antoine
933:Connie Thiessen,
562:, April 16, 2024.
374:review aggregator
368:Critical response
304:Saba Vahedyousefi
226:
225:
108:Saba Vahedyousefi
1820:
1738:
1715:
1705:
1695:
1685:
1675:
1665:
1655:
1645:
1629:
1625:Citizen Gangster
1619:
1609:
1599:
1589:
1579:
1569:
1559:
1549:
1539:
1529:
1519:
1509:
1499:
1489:
1460:
1453:
1446:
1437:
1436:
1287:Days of Darkness
1180:The Confessional
990:
983:
976:
967:
966:
942:
931:
925:
914:Jamie Casemore,
912:
906:
893:
887:
874:
868:
855:
849:
848:
846:
845:
830:
824:
823:
821:
820:
805:
799:
786:
780:
779:
777:
775:
751:
745:
744:
739:
737:
735:
711:
705:
704:
702:
701:
684:
678:
677:
663:
657:
656:
654:
653:
637:
631:
630:
616:
610:
609:
607:
606:
590:
584:
583:
569:
563:
550:
544:
543:
541:
539:
522:
516:
515:
501:
404:Adam Stockhausen
390:weighted average
326:Danielle Fichaud
322:
314:Mani Soleymanlou
248:
186:
184:
117:Danielle Fichaud
114:Mani Soleymanlou
31:
19:
18:
1828:
1827:
1823:
1822:
1821:
1819:
1818:
1817:
1748:
1747:
1746:
1741:
1731:
1724:
1718:
1708:
1698:
1688:
1678:
1668:
1658:
1651:Asphalt Watches
1648:
1632:
1622:
1612:
1602:
1595:Before Tomorrow
1592:
1582:
1572:
1562:
1552:
1542:
1532:
1522:
1512:
1502:
1492:
1482:
1475:
1469:
1464:
1434:
1429:
1351:Felix and Meira
1319:Monsieur Lazhar
1218:
1007:
994:
951:
946:
945:
932:
928:
913:
909:
894:
890:
875:
871:
867:, May 23, 2024.
856:
852:
843:
841:
831:
827:
818:
816:
806:
802:
798:, May 18, 2024.
787:
783:
773:
771:
753:
752:
748:
733:
731:
724:Rotten Tomatoes
713:
712:
708:
699:
697:
686:
685:
681:
664:
660:
651:
649:
639:
638:
634:
617:
613:
604:
602:
592:
591:
587:
570:
566:
551:
547:
537:
535:
523:
519:
502:
498:
493:
476:
435:
388:, which uses a
378:Rotten Tomatoes
370:
365:
340:section of the
334:
316:
301:Rojina Esmaeili
298:
278:
221:
201:
194:
182:
180:
173:
158:
153:
151:
143:
115:
113:
111:
109:
107:
106:Rojina Esmaeili
97:Sylvain Corbeil
87:
85:
84:Ila Firouzabadi
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1826:
1816:
1815:
1810:
1805:
1800:
1795:
1790:
1785:
1780:
1775:
1770:
1765:
1760:
1743:
1742:
1740:
1739:
1728:
1726:
1725:(2024-present)
1720:
1719:
1717:
1716:
1706:
1696:
1686:
1676:
1671:Sleeping Giant
1666:
1661:Bang Bang Baby
1656:
1646:
1630:
1620:
1610:
1600:
1590:
1580:
1570:
1560:
1550:
1540:
1530:
1520:
1510:
1500:
1490:
1479:
1477:
1471:
1470:
1463:
1462:
1455:
1448:
1440:
1431:
1430:
1428:
1427:
1419:
1411:
1407:Eternal Spring
1403:
1395:
1387:
1379:
1371:
1363:
1355:
1347:
1339:
1331:
1323:
1315:
1307:
1299:
1291:
1283:
1275:
1267:
1259:
1251:
1247:Soft Shell Man
1243:
1235:
1226:
1224:
1220:
1219:
1217:
1216:
1208:
1200:
1192:
1184:
1176:
1168:
1160:
1152:
1144:
1136:
1128:
1120:
1112:
1104:
1096:
1088:
1080:
1072:
1064:
1056:
1048:
1040:
1032:
1024:
1015:
1013:
1009:
1008:
993:
992:
985:
978:
970:
964:
963:
950:
949:External links
947:
944:
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926:
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825:
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746:
729:Fandango Media
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262:Canadian entry
258:Matthew Rankin
224:
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163:Distributed by
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128:
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123:Cinematography
120:
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94:
90:
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88:Matthew Rankin
82:
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75:Matthew Rankin
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1663:
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1605:The Wild Hunt
1601:
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1535:Marion Bridge
1531:
1527:
1526:
1521:
1517:
1516:
1511:
1507:
1506:
1501:
1497:
1496:
1491:
1487:
1486:
1481:
1480:
1478:
1472:
1468:
1461:
1456:
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1438:
1425:
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1399:Drunken Birds
1396:
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1276:
1273:
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1268:
1265:
1264:
1260:
1257:
1256:
1252:
1249:
1248:
1244:
1241:
1240:
1236:
1233:
1232:
1228:
1227:
1225:
1221:
1214:
1213:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1190:
1189:
1185:
1182:
1181:
1177:
1174:
1173:
1172:My Friend Max
1169:
1166:
1165:
1161:
1158:
1157:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1129:
1126:
1125:
1121:
1118:
1117:
1113:
1110:
1109:
1105:
1102:
1101:
1097:
1094:
1093:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1084:The Tin Flute
1081:
1078:
1077:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1061:
1060:Good Riddance
1057:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1046:
1045:
1041:
1038:
1037:
1033:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1022:
1021:
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1016:
1014:
1010:
1006:
1002:
1001:Academy Award
998:
991:
986:
984:
979:
977:
972:
971:
968:
962:
958:
957:
953:
952:
940:
936:
930:
923:
922:
917:
911:
904:
903:
898:
892:
885:
884:
879:
876:Sarah Downs,
873:
866:
865:
860:
854:
840:
836:
829:
815:
811:
804:
797:
796:
791:
785:
770:
766:
765:
760:
758:
750:
743:
730:
726:
725:
720:
718:
710:
695:
694:
689:
683:
675:
674:
669:
662:
648:
647:
642:
636:
628:
627:
622:
615:
601:
600:
595:
589:
581:
580:
575:
568:
561:
560:
555:
549:
534:
533:
528:
521:
513:
512:
507:
500:
496:
486:
483:
481:
478:
477:
471:
469:
464:
462:
458:
454:
453:Academy Award
449:
447:
443:
438:
430:
428:
424:
423:
417:
415:
414:
408:
405:
400:
399:
393:
391:
387:
383:
379:
375:
360:
358:
354:
349:
347:
343:
339:
327:
324:
320:
315:
312:
310:Pirouz Nemati
309:
307:Sobhan Javadi
306:
303:
300:
299:
293:
291:
287:
283:
273:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
252:
244:
240:
236:
232:
231:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
197:
190:
178:
177:
175:
169:
165:
161:
155:
147:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
121:
118:
112:Pirouz Nemati
110:Sobhan Javadi
105:
101:
98:
95:
91:
86:Pirouz Nemati
83:
79:
76:
73:
69:
65:
62:
59:
57:
53:
50:
47:
45:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1733:
1732:
1709:
1699:
1689:
1679:
1669:
1659:
1649:
1639:
1633:
1623:
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1212:Set Me Free
734:4 September
427:Bilge Ebiri
317: [
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1758:2024 films
1752:Categories
1555:White Skin
1495:Last Night
1271:C.R.A.Z.Y.
1036:Les Ordres
844:2024-05-25
819:2024-05-25
772:Retrieved
764:Metacritic
700:2024-09-29
652:2024-09-29
605:2024-09-29
538:August 27,
491:References
386:Metacritic
204:89 minutes
183:2024-05-18
166:Maison 4:3
150:Production
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81:Written by
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1681:Old Stone
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1012:1971â1999
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413:IndieWire
363:Reception
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157:Metafilms
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433:Awards
290:Quebec
282:Tehran
235:French
220:French
212:Canada
189:Cannes
187: (
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