Canada has selected Matthew Rankin’s absurdist comedy film ‘Universal Language‘ as the country’s official entry for the Best International Feature at the 97th annual Academy Awards.

Rankin’s surrealistic comedy film world premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival where it won the Audience Award, and is set to have its Canadian debut at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. The film has recently won the top prize at Melbourne Film Festival.

Set in a fictional world in a place between Winniped and Tehran, ‘Universal Language’ tells three unrelated stories that somehow interconect in the story of the film. Rankin acts as a writer, director, and one of the main actors for the film.

The film’s synopsis reads: In a mysterious and surreal interzone somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg, the lives of multiple characters interweave with each other in surprising and mysterious ways. Gradeschoolers Negin and Nazgol find a sum of money frozen in the winter ice and try to claim it. Meanwhile, Massoud leads a group of increasingly-befuddled tourists through the monuments and historic sites of Winnipeg. Matthew quits his meaningless job in a Québecois government office and sets out upon an enigmatic journey to visit his mother.

‘Universal Language’ is set to open in US theaters on February 1, 2025.

‘Universal Language’ was selected as the country’s official submission from a total of 26 films that were considered for the spot.

A short list of the submissions from all the countries participating in the Oscar race will be unveiled on December 17, 2024 and before revealing the official nominations on January 17, 2025.