Venice Film Festival ends with Golden Lion at stake after ‘NAZA’ draws record ovation
The postwar Danish drama also earned star Mathilde Arcel best actress, while the Gaza documentary drew a record 25-minute ovation before taking the jury prize.
- On Saturday, Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy's post-war drama "Woman Unknown" won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, with star Mathilde Arcel securing best actress honors in a rare double victory.
- El-Toukhy's achievement highlighted a stark gender disparity: she was the only woman directing a feature in the festival's 21-strong main line-up, drawing criticism and prompting renewed scrutiny of systemic barriers facing women filmmakers.
- Beyond the top prize, John Malkovich won best actor for "Wild Horse Nine", while South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong took the Silver Lion for "Promised Love" and Russian-born filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky won best director for "DAU".
- Documentary "NAZA" by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor won the Special Jury Prize, following Thursday's record 25-minute standing ovation for "The Voice of Hind Rajab", highlighting the festival's focus on global politics.
- Festival director Alberto Barbera defended the male-dominated line-up as merit-based, even as many big studio-backed Hollywood contenders remained absent this year due to cost-cutting measures.
245 Articles
245 Articles
May El-Touki won the top award - Distinctions for Jacqueline Lentzo and the Greek co-production "Our Share of Sand"
Danish-Egyptian director May el-Toukhy was awarded the Golden Lion of the Venice Film Festival on Saturday for her film Woman Unknown. In addition, the leading actress of the film, Mathilde Arcel, won the prize as best actress. The Jury's Grand Prize went to Possible Love by Lee Chang-dong. The documentary "NAZA" by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor on the Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip won the jury's Special Prize.
At the 83rd Venice Film Festival on Saturday evening, the Danish film Woman Unknown won the Golden Lion for Best Film. Mathilde Arcel was named Best Actress, and John Malkovich Best Actor. The Jury Prize went to the Israeli documentary Naza, in which soldiers and intelligence officers talk about the war in Gaza.
"Woman Unknown", of May el-Toukhy won the Lion gold of the best film.
VENICE. The competition's only female feature film director was rightfully given the golden, winged lion. Maggie Gyllenhaal's jury also got it right when John Malkovich was praised for his role as a remorseful CIA agent in "Wild Horse Nine". Helena Lindblad ends the 83rd film festival with a smile on her face.
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