Venice Film Festival 2026: ‘Woman Unknown’ wins the Golden Lion

The jury, chaired by Maggie Gyllenhaal, awarded the top prize to the Danish historical drama, which was in competition among 21 feature films. May el-Toukhy was the only woman to have directed a film solo in the main selection. According to the Associated Press, she becomes the eighth female director to win the Golden Lion.

Set in Denmark shortly after World War II, ‘Woman Unknown’ follows Marie, a young governess preparing to marry her wealthy employer. However, a past relationship with a German soldier threatens her new life in a society where women accused of consorting with the occupier faced public humiliation and reprisals.

In its official presentation, the Venice Film Festival explains that the film draws inspiration from these often untold female narratives. May el-Toukhy describes her work as a reflection on how women’s bodies are transformed into public stakes and battlegrounds during conflicts.

The awards also recognized South Korean director Lee Chang-dong, whose film ‘Possible Love’ won the Grand Jury Prize. Ilya Khrzhanovsky received the Silver Lion for Best Direction for ‘DAU’, while John Malkovich was named Best Actor for ‘Wild Horse Nine’.

In the awards announced on September 12, the Special Jury Prize went to ‘NAZA’, a documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor focusing on Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. The jury awarded the Best Screenplay prize to Stéphane Brizé, Coralie Amedeo, and Olivier Gorce for ‘Un bon petit soldat’.