Woman Unknown wins Venice Film Festival top prize

Danish director May el-Toukhy's post-war drama Woman Unknown emerged victorious at the Venice Film Festival, securing the prestigious Golden Lion award. Its star, Mathilde Arcel, also claimed the best actress accolade, marking a rare double triumph for a female filmmaker. The festival's lineup predominantly consisted of 21 feature films, with el-Toukhy being the sole woman behind the director's chair.

The film, set in the aftermath of World War Two, follows the story of a housemaid, portrayed by Arcel, whose past relationship with a German soldier jeopardizes her future. Amidst the backdrop of a newly liberated Denmark, where women accused of fraternizing with occupying German forces faced vigilante justice, el-Toukhy identified the female body as a battleground and a public matter in her acceptance speech.

South Korean director Lee Chang-dong claimed the Silver Lion for Promised Love, while Russian filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky won best director for DAU, a project filmed largely in Ukraine post-war tensions. Khrzhanovsky, a critic of Russia, dedicated his prize to Ukraine. Australian actor John Malkovich won best actor for his performance as a world-weary CIA agent in Martin McDonagh's comedy Wild Horse Nine.

The Venice festival, signaling the start of the awards season, highlighted global politics and social upheaval with films like Israeli documentary NAZA, which accused the Israeli military of mass civilian deaths in Gaza. The documentary received a record-breaking standing ovation at its premiere, marking the second consecutive year a Gaza-related film resonated in Venice.