Universal Language Matthew Rankin, 2024 | 89m | Farsi, French Filmmaker Matthew Rankin introduces us to a charmingly impossible Canada where Persian and French are the two official languages, and loneliness is the common currency. Set in a reimagined Winnipeg, the film follows a group of children on eccentric quests to flummox the adults around them, and the government worker who returns home only to find his family is not what he remembered. Universal Language is a loving exploration of a diasporic nation, filtered through a deadpan comic sensibility that will feel like a warm blanket to fans of Wes Anderson and Aki Kaurismaki. Universal Language is receiving universal acclaim and is the winner of multiple awards, including the Audience Award, Director’s Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival,  Bright Horizon’s Award at Melbourne International Film Festival, Best Canadian Discovery at Toronto International Film Festival, and Best Canadian Film at Vancouver International Film Festival. It is Canada’s Choice for the Best International Feature Film Category at this year’s Academy Awards.