Danish actor Mathilde Arcel, who won the best actress award at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, revealed that she continues to receive unemployment benefits and had to return to Copenhagen to report to the job centre prior to attending the ceremony.
Arcel, 30, received the prestigious Volpi Cup on Saturday night for her leading role in May el-Toukhy’s post-World War II drama *Woman Unknown*, which also secured the festival’s top accolade, the Golden Lion for best film. The story is set in the aftermath of Nazi-occupied Denmark and follows Marie, a young housemaid and nanny engaged to her widowed employer. The plot centers on Marie’s confrontation with accusations against women labeled as “horizontal collaborators” due to intimate relationships with German soldiers.
At the awards event held on Venice’s Lido island, jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal noted that the jury made an exception to the festival’s usual rule against multiple awards for the same film due to the unanimous support for Arcel’s performance. Gyllenhaal praised the actor’s portrayal, highlighting the subtle depiction of the character’s internal conflict.
Following the film’s premiere, Arcel returned to Denmark to fulfill her unemployment benefit requirements before flying back to Venice for the gala. She told Danish media that when not engaged in projects, she relies on social security, a situation underscored by a 2023 report from the UK actors’ union Equity indicating that 63% of its members have at some point received social welfare.
Since winning the Volpi Cup, Arcel’s agent has reported significant interest from abroad, with multiple job offers coming her way. The actress mentioned discussions about upcoming opportunities and expressed a desire to continue working with new artists.
Speaking at the festival, Arcel humorously shared her aspiration to appear in a long-running British detective series she admires, specifically naming *Midsomer Murders* as a potential future project. She expressed enthusiasm about what lies ahead in her career following her breakthrough recognition in Venice.
The Volpi Cup for best actor was awarded to veteran Hollywood performer John Malkovich.