May el-Toukhy’s film *Woman Unknown* won the Golden Lion for best film at this year’s Venice Film Festival, held from August 30 to September 9 on the Lido island in Italy. The Danish-Egyptian director’s period drama, which explores the complex aftermath of Denmark’s liberation from Nazi occupation through the story of a young housemaid struggling with a secret from the wartime era, also earned Mathilde Arcel the Volpi Cup for best actress.
Set shortly after the Second World War, *Woman Unknown* follows Marie, portrayed by Arcel, who is set to marry her widowed employer but worries about the revelation of her covert relationship with a German soldier during the war. The film garnered praise for its elegant craftsmanship and atmospheric storytelling reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s *Rebecca*. Arcel’s award stirred some surprise among critics as Venice rarely recognizes more than one winner from the same film, but jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal explained that the actress’s unanimous support justified the exception.
In her acceptance speech, el-Toukhy highlighted the challenges faced in bringing the film to fruition and emphasized the importance of shedding light on the often overlooked experiences of women throughout history. *Woman Unknown* was the only film in the competition solely directed by a woman, an underrepresentation underscored by Gyllenhaal earlier in the festival.
The grand jury prize, effectively the festival's runner-up, was awarded to Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong for *Possible Love*. The film examines the strained relationship of a married couple and their interactions with a documentary filmmaker and her affluent husband, receiving strong acclaim from critics.
The special jury prize was awarded to the documentary *NAZA*, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The film investigates Israel’s use of artificial intelligence in conducting airstrikes in Gaza, focusing on testimonies from 24 anonymous Israeli military insiders. Named after an Israeli intelligence acronym denoting expected civilian casualties in Gaza strikes, *NAZA* sparked controversy. The Israeli military swiftly denied its allegations, while Abraham, upon accepting the award, noted the hostility faced by the film from some Israeli politicians and journalists, who dismissed it without viewing.
The Silver Lion for best director was given to Russian filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky for *DAU*, a visually ambitious biopic about Lev Landau, a Nobel laureate physicist coerced into contributing to the Soviet nuclear program. The film’s presence at the festival drew criticism from the Ukrainian government due to its lead actor’s refusal to condemn Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and its partial funding from a Russian businessman sanctioned by Ukraine and the United States. Khrzhanovsky, speaking at Venice, expressed hopes for peace and success for the Ukrainian government.
John Malkovich received the Volpi Cup for best actor for his portrayal of a veteran CIA agent confronting a cancer diagnosis in Martin McDonagh’s *Wild Horse Nine*. Malkovich accepted the award remotely, citing the honor of joining a distinguished group of past recipients.
Other notable awards included best screenplay for *Un bon petit soldat* by Stéphane Brizé, Coralie Amédéo, and Olivier Gorce; the Marcello Mastroianni award for best young actor to Malou Khebrizi for *15/18 A Place to Heal*; the audience award to *Eu contez (I Matter)* by Alina Șerban; and the Luigi De Laurentiis award for debut film went to Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu’s *La maison du vent (House of the Wind).*