Lonely woman director in Venice sees industry backsliding on gender

Venetian filmmaker May El-Toukhy has expressed concerns that recent progress in addressing gender bias within the film industry is reversing. At the Venice Film Festival, El-Toukhy was the sole female director among a group of 20. She lamented that despite heightened awareness of gender imbalance following the 2017 #MeToo movement, recent years have seen a regression to past practices.

El-Toukhy's film, "Woman Unknown," tells the story of a bride-to-be who hides a wartime secret of having a relationship with a Nazi during the German occupation of Denmark. The film highlights the duality of being both objectified and unseen. Despite its powerful message, the film struggles against both objectification and invisibility.

The selection process for the top competition at Venice has been criticized for its lack of female representation. Venice's director, Alberto Barbera, initially defended the male-dominated lineup by citing insufficient submissions from women. However, the festival later added another film co-directed by a woman, "NAZA," about Israeli civilians killed in Gaza.

El-Toukhy, a Danish-Egyptian director, has experienced gender bias throughout her career. She recounted how her first film took six to seven years to secure financing, while her peers received quicker support. She noted that her second film also faced significant challenges. El-Toukhy views the underrepresentation of women at the top of the industry as a structural issue.

This sentiment aligns with that of American actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is heading the competition jury this year. Gyllenhaal pointed out that women often face difficulties in securing film financing and questioned whether the themes women choose to explore are deemed less prestigious.

Italian actress Jasmine Trinca, an attendee of the festival, expressed alarm and anger over the limited female presence in competition. She emphasized the need to confront and address this disparity. A study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative reveals that 2025 has been a "Great Recession" for women directors in the US, with only nine women attached to the top 100-grossing films and just three women winning Oscars for Best Director.