Matthew Rankin

His second feature film, Universal Language (Une langue universelle), premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, The film was longlisted for the 2024 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award, and was selected as the Canadian entry for the Academy Award for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. Universal Language received 13 Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 13th Canadian Screen Awards in 2025, and won six awards including Best Director.

Matthew Rankin studied at McGill University, Laval University and Institut national de l'image et du son. The recorded working language is English, French and Esperanto. Works named in the authority record are Tabula Rasa, Mynarski Death Plummet, The Tesla World Light, The Twentieth Century and Universal Language. Distinctions recorded are Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Award for Best Achievement in Direction.

Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, he was associated with the Winnipeg Film Group as a teenager, and later studied history at McGill University, at Université Laval and at the Institut national de l'image et du son. His father, Laird Rankin, was longtime executive director of Canada's National History Society and publisher of the history magazine The Beaver. He has also appeared as an actor in films by other directors, including This House (Cette maison) and Before I Change My Mind, and portrayed one of the lead characters in his own film Universal Language.

• 2022 - Before I Change My Mind, as Daniel - directed by Trevor Anderson • 2022 - This House (Cette maison), as Dr. Densmore - directed by Miryam Charles • 2024 - Universal Language, as Matthew - directed by himself • 2024 - Blue Heron, as the psychologist - directed by Sophy Romvari • 2026 - So Long Pluto (Au revoir Pluton) as Clyde Tombaugh - directed by Sarianne Cormier

Matthew Rankin is recorded as having received Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Award for Best Achievement in Direction.

• 2005 - Le facteur poulpe • 2006 - Où est Maurice? • 2008 - I Dream of Driftwood • 2008 - Sharhé-Halé Shakhsi: M. Rankin • 2008 - Cattle Call • 2008 - Hydro-Lévesque • 2010 - Negativipeg • 2012 - Tabula Rasa • 2014 - Mynarski Death Plummet • 2015 - The Radical Expeditions of Walter Boudreau • 2017 - The Tesla World Light • 2022 - Municipal Relaxation Module

• 2019 - The Twentieth Century • 2024 - Universal Language • 2026 - Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (Mesdames et Messieurs, Brian Mulroney)