El-Toukhy's drama depicts the life of a young nanny and housekeeper who marries her wealthy and older widower employer, but harbours a shameful secret that threatens to unravel her new life and status in the post-World War II anarchy.
“Woman Unknown,” a drama about Denmark in the aftermath of the Nazi occupation directed by May el-Toukhy, won the prestigious Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice Film Festival on Saturday.
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El-Toukhy was the only woman to have solely directed a film in the main competition this year.
Her film centres on a young Marie, played by Mathilde Arcel, whose Best Actress win makes it a rare double victory. Marie is a nanny and housemaid who is about to marry her wealthy employer in the immediate aftermath of the war. But she harbours a secret past intimate relationship with a German soldier that threatens to upend her reputation.
South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong’s poetic portrait of class and labour, “Possible Love,” won the Silver Lion grand jury prize, the runner-up award. “Possible Love” is Lee’s first film in eight years, following his acclaimed 2018 title “Burning.”
“NAZA,” a harrowing documentary about military strategies employed in the war in Gaza from Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was awarded a special jury prize.
“It is really, really especially important to us that Israelis watch this film,” Abraham said.
The was added to the main competition late — at the request of the filmmakers — and debuted late in the schedule as well, but its impact was felt: It received a record-breaking standing ovation, lasting some 25 minutes, after its premiere.
Shot on the rooftops of Tel Aviv at night in extreme secrecy over three years, “NAZA” features testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders including intelligence officers and soldiers give who insight into the war in Gaza and what they say is the systemic killing of Palestinian civilians.
The jury gave the Silver Lion for directing to Ilya Krzhanovsky for his film “Dau,” a project about the Soviet physicists who built the atomic bomb that has taken over 20 years to make.
Krzhanovsky, who renounced his Russian citizenship in protest of the war in Ukraine, dedicated the prize to Ukrainians, including his mother who was born there.
The Maggie Gyllenhaal-led jury announced the winners in a ceremony on Saturday night, which included a best actor prize for John Malkovich for his performance in the dark CIA comedy “Wild Horse Nine”.
Malkovich was not in attendance at the ceremony, but he sent a video message, explaining that he is shooting in Montreal.
“I am humbled to be chosen for this award which has been given to so many wonderful actors,” Malkovich said.
Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine was also met with a standing ovation, lasting well past 10 minutes. The dark comedy follows two CIA agents travelling to Easter Island shortly before Chile's 1973 military coup.
The film's stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell's performances were among the elements that drew attention at the premiere.
McDonagh has previously premiered two films at the festival, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Banshees of Inisherin.
He has previously won screenplay prizes for both films, while Colin Farrell received an acting award for the latter.
“Unknown Woman” star Mathilde Arcel was visibly emotional accepting the best actress award, which she said was very heavy and decided to place on the floor while she spoke.
“This is my first lead role in a movie and my first time at a film festival,” she said. “I’m extremely honoured.”
French director Stéphane Brizé’s won the screenplay prize for his corporate drama “A Good Little Soldier.”
Malou Khebizi was given the Marcello Mastroianni award for emerging actor for her role in Cédric Kahn’s “15/18 (A Place to Heal)” which is set in an adolescent psychiatric ward in a public hospital.
