Camaraderie. Unity. Universal reliance.
These themes are explored in Matthew Rankin’s absurdist comedy-drama Universal Language, which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight selection at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. I recently attended a screening of the film at the Bud Frank Cinema, and it was a truly unique experience.
Set in Winnipeg, “Universal Language” takes place in a different version of Canada, where Persian is the people’s primary language, instead of English (with French still being spoken in some areas as well).
The central storyline involves two young students, Negin and Nazgol, who encounter a wad of cash frozen in ice and their desire to penetrate through the frozen terrain to retrieve the money, catalyzing the events and interconnecting storylines of the film.
One plot point involves Massoud (Pirouz Nemati), a tour guide guiding a group of exhausted tourists through the neighborhoods of Winnipeg. Massoud’s character is comparable to Bob Balaban’s character in Wes Anderson’s 2012 coming-of-age film “Moonrise Kingdom” (which also competed at Cannes), a narrator that also serves as a guide for New Penzance, with Massoud’s character being reflective of the latter.
At the same time as these two storylines, a man by the name of Matthew (Matthew Rankin, who is also the director of the film and co-wrote the script) is returning to Winnipeg by bus after spending years at a job in Quebec, a journey that would take turns.
Matthew Rankin submerges the film in absurdist elements, such as the Brutalist structure featured in the first half of the film, with the building being one unit, consisting of a plethora of small shops seemingly encompassing this singular monolith. The occupants of this structure feel symbolic of the central theme of the film: unity, specifically camaraderie and friendship.
Rankin is heavily influenced by fellow Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin, specifically his 2007 mockumentary “My Winnipeg,” a surrealist take on the history of the capital of the province of Manitoba. Rankin’s influence on Maddin’s film is seen through his absurdist and experimental depiction of Canada, through the blending of Iranian and Canadian culture that defines this film. This isn’t seen more than through the depiction of Tim Horton’s, not as the fast-food coffeehouse staple it’s famously known as, but as a tea house whose employees and customers also congregate to knit.
Rankin is also largely influenced by Iranian cinema, with one of the country’s most prominent filmmakers being the late Abbas Kiarostami, who directed works such as 1997’s “Taste of Cherry” and the groundbreaking 1990 docufiction film “Close-Up.” The influence of the latter film is seen at one point in “Universal Language,” where reality becomes blurred.
Several scenes showcase Rankin’s dry and absurdist sense of humor, such as Massoud guiding a group of tourists through the city’s offbeat landmarks, such as a long-abandoned suitcase on a bench with a plant growing through it. Along with this scene, there is also a Groucho Marx glasses-donning student in the opening sequence, and a subplot involving a butcher and a turkey that he deems the most perfect one.
The soundtrack is also a standout element, which includes the classic track by The Guess Who, These Eyes, prominently featured in the third act.
Cinematographer Isabelle Stachtchenko, who shot the film on 16mm, achieves a grainy and nostalgic look throughout the film, such as the cold environment of Winnipeg, with the wintry land being consumed in the stark blankets of snow, along with a plethora of other great shots.
“Universal Language” takes the viewer on a unique journey, with Matthew Rankin being the captain of this experience, exploring themes of unity, whilst capturing a distinct and one-of-a-kind vision with aburdist humor.
Everyone needs someone to hold on to.
“Universal Language” is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
