'Woman Unknown' wins top prize at Venice Film Festival as lone female contender triumphs
Danish film 'Woman Unknown' wins Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion, highlighting gender disparities in filmmaking amid significant awards.
John Malkovich named best actor; Israeli-made Gaza documentary wins special jury prize
Published - September 13, 2026 12:43 am IST - VENICE
Danish director May El-Toukhy receives the Golden Lion for Best Film for "Kvinde Ukendt" (Woman unknown) during the closing ceremony of the 63rd Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido on September 12, 2026. | Photo Credit: AFP
Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy’s post-war drama “Woman Unknown” won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, with its star Mathilde Arcel also taking best actress honours in a rare double victory.
Ms. El-Toukhy was the only woman directing a feature film in the main, 21-strong movie line-up, a disparity that drew criticism during the festival and prompted renewed scrutiny of the barriers facing women in cinema.
Set in the aftermath of World War Two, “Woman Unknown” follows a housemaid played by Arcel whose past relationship with a German soldier threatens to destroy her future.
The film unfolds against the backdrop of a newly liberated Denmark, where women accused of fraternising with occupying German forces were often subjected to vigilante justice.
John Malkovich named best actor
South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong took the runner-up Silver Lion award for “Promised Love”, while Russian-born filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky won best director for “DAU”, a hugely ambitious project shot largely in Ukraine before the ongoing war that has attracted intense scrutiny and controversy.
John Malkovich appears on screen to accept the Coppa Volpi for best actor for the film 'Wild Horse Nine' during the closing ceremony of the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival. | Photo Credit: AP
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Khrzhanovsky, who has renounced his Russian citizenship, dedicated the prize to Ukraine.
John Malkovich won the best actor award for his role as an ageing, maverick CIA agent in Martin McDonagh’s razor-sharp comedy “Wild Horse Nine”.
The Venice festival marks the start of the awards season and regularly throws up big favourites for the Oscars.
However, many of the big studio-backed contenders that once crowded the Venice schedule were absent this year as Hollywood reconsiders how to market its movies and cut costs.
In a change of tone, the festival offered a programme steeped in global politics and social upheaval, including “NAZA” — a hard-hitting documentary by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor that won the Special Jury Prize.
Based on anonymous interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers, the film accuses the Israeli military of routinely approving mass civilian deaths when they target militants in the Gaza Strip. Israel has denied the charge.
The documentary received a record 25-minute standing ovation at its premiere on Thursday (September 10, 2026) — the second year in succession that a film about Gaza has resonated in Venice after “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, a true-life account of the killing of a Palestinian girl during the war.
Stephane Brize, Coralie Amedeo and Olivier Gorce received the screenplay award for their well-received French workplace drama “A Good Little Soldier”, while Malou Khebizi was named as best emerging young actor for her role in another well-received French production — “A Place To Heal”.
Festival director Alberto Barbera has defended the male-dominated line-up this year, insisting that selection decisions were based on artistic merit rather than quotas, and urging the industry to do more to help women break into the business.
Ms. El-Toukhy said women filmmakers continued to face greater difficulties securing financing, limiting budgets, casting opportunities and, ultimately, access to major festivals.
The head of the main jury, U.S. actor/director Maggie Gyllenhaal, also weighed in, telling reporters that female filmmakers often struggled to secure financing because the stories they want to tell were not seen as important.
Published - September 13, 2026 12:43 am IST
World / documentary films / arts, culture and entertainment
