{
  "id": 6117606,
  "title": "Only woman director of Venice fiction film says industry remains unequal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/only-woman-director-of-venice-fiction-film-says-industry-remains",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-07T07:24:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40438298/only-woman-director-of-venice-fiction-film-says-industry-remains-unequal"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Italian filmmaker May el-Toukhy, the sole woman directing a feature film among the 21 competing at the Venice Film Festival, has highlighted the persistent inequality in the industry. Her film, “Woman Unknown,” centers on a Danish housemaid who must confront her past after a relationship with a German soldier during World War Two threatens her future. Despite the controversy surrounding the epidemic of women in cinema, el-Toukhy stressed that the scarcity of women directors is a structural problem she has faced throughout her own career. She recounted that it took her six to seven years to complete her first film, while male peers completed theirs much quicker. Festival director Alberto Barbera defended the festival's lineup, noting that women directed only 24% of submitted films, a decline from 30% the previous year. El-Toukhy explained that securing financing remains a challenge for female directors, impacting their ability to secure budgets, casting opportunities, and ultimately, their chances of competing at major festivals. Set in post-World War Two Denmark, “Woman Unknown” explores themes of women's invisibility and objectification, echoing el-Toukhy's concerns about gender representation. The film sheds light on the stigma faced by women who carried the consequences of wartime relationships for decades, with some still feeling ashamed even as Denmark celebrates its liberation.",
  "summary": "VENICE: The scarcity of women competing for the Venice Film Festival’s top prize reflects a structural problem in the film industry, Danish director May el-Toukhy said on Sunday as she unveiled her gritty drama “Woman Unknown”. El-Toukhy is the only woman directing a fiction film among the 21 contenders for the Golden Lion. Just one other competition entry, a documentary, has a female…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Venice Film Festival showcases multiple Gaza war documentaries",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/venice-film-festival-showcases-multiple-gaza-war-documentaries",
        "published": "2026-09-07T01:30:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Can 'Possible Love' win Lee Chang-dong top prize at Venice film festival?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/can-possible-love-win-lee-chang-dong-top-prize-at-venice-film-festival",
        "published": "2026-09-07T08:52:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Deadline",
        "title": "Gaza Cinema Academy Launches At Venice Film Festival To Help Gazans Tell Their Own Stories",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/gaza-cinema-academy-launches-at-venice-film-festival-to-help-gazans",
        "published": "2026-09-07T09:10:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}