Universal Language
Singapore Premiere
Matthew Rankin Canada 2024 89 min PG
Iranian poetics meet Winnipegian deadpan humour in a whimsical collision of worlds and cinematic traditions.
Two children embark on a quest to retrieve a banknote frozen in ice, a tour guide leads bewildered visitors through a city, and a bureaucrat faces a lonely homecoming with his mother. These events take place in the Canadian city of Winnipeg—performed by a diverse cast of Farsi-speaking characters as they navigate the peculiarities of this seemingly incongruous environment. Against the wintry streets of Winnipeg, a surreal blend of local lore and colloquialisms unfolds, all filtered through the lens of 1980s Iranian cinema.
Universal Language celebrates charming everyday mistranslations and misunderstandings. It takes viewers on an endearing odyssey through a world that delightfully exists in the interstices of cultures.
30 Nov, Sat 5:00PM / 89 min
National Museum Singapore, Gallery Theatre
3 Dec, Tue 9:00PM / 89 min
Filmgarde Kallang, Hall 3
AT THE FEST!
All screenings are on a free seating, first-come, first-served basis. We kindly ask all ticket holders to arrive on time. Latecomers may not be guaranteed entry.
RUSH QUEUE:
For last-minute attendees, good news. Our Rush Queue is back this year!
Universal Language
Matthew Rankin
Canada
2024
Farsi, French
89 min
PG
Singapore Premiere
Matthew Rankin
Winnipeg-born Matthew Rankin has directed numerous films across various genres including animation, documentary and fiction. His feature debut, The Twentieth Century (2019), won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Berlinale. Universal Language, his sophomore feature, took home the inaugural Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes.
Sylvain Corbeil
Rojina Esmaeili,
Saba Vahedyousefi,
Sobhan Javadi
