Universality in place of parochialism

Canadian filmmaker Mathew Rankin discusses the themes of multiculturalism and interconnectedness as well as the unique production design of his Oscar-shortlisted feature Universal Language

- NAMRATA JOSHI

Matthew Rankin's Persian-French language Canadian film Universal Language is among the fifteen shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film Oscar and perhaps the most unique of the lot in terms of form, vision, imagination and craft. Set in an unusual world, a Tehran-like Winnipeg, the whimsical, fablesque film weaves together three seemingly disparate, disconnected story strands in unforeseen, humane and humanistic ways. Rankin's second feature film recently played at the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival, where the Canadian filmmaker had an exclusive one-on-one conversation with CE.

Excerpts:

• Universal Language occupies this unique visual space where Tehran and Winnipeg collide and conjoin. You've made even a wholesome Canadian chain like Tim Hortons go Farsi. What went into defining the production design of the film?