The Danish drama "Woman unknown", by May el-Toukhy, won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. The traditional Italian film event ended on Saturday (12) with the awards ceremony. The plot follows a young housemaid whose future is threatened by the intimate relationship she had with a German soldier during World War II.
The film was the only one in the competition directed by a female filmmaker, which was addressed in the director's acceptance speech. At a press conference after the awards, el-Toukhy stated that there is a systematic problem and that it is difficult for women to have their films financed.
"Woman unknown" also earned the Volpi Cup for best actress to Mathilde Arcel. Already seen as a strong Oscar contender, John Malkovich took the best actor award at the Italian festival.
