‘Woman Unknown’ Wins Golden Lion, Malkovich ‘Humbled’ by Best Actor Award at Venice

“Woman Unknown,” a drama about Denmark in the aftermath of Nazi occupation directed by May el-Toukhy, won the prestigious Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice Film Festival on Saturday.

The winners were announced by a jury led by Maggie Gyllenhaal, with John Malkovich taking the Best Actor award for his performance in the dark CIA comedy “Wild Horse Nine.”

Malkovich was not present at the ceremony as he is currently filming in Montreal. In a video message, he said he was “humbled” to receive an award that had previously gone to many acclaimed actors.

Only Eight Women Have Won the Golden Lion

El-Toukhy became the eighth woman to win Venice’s top prize. She was also the only woman to have solely directed a film in the main competition this year.

“To me personally, ‘Woman Unknown’ is about the female body as a battleground,” el-Toukhy said while accepting the award. “At the same time the film tells the tale of women who are unseen, invisible and voiceless.”

She also thanked Gyllenhaal for using her platform to highlight unequal opportunities for women in filmmaking.

Set in the immediate aftermath of World War II, “Woman Unknown” follows a young nanny and housemaid preparing to marry her wealthy employer. Her secret past relationship with a German soldier threatens to destroy her reputation.

Mathilde Arcel, who plays the lead role, won the festival’s Best Actress award.

Visibly emotional, Arcel said the award was particularly meaningful because it was her first lead role in a film and her first time attending a film festival.

Lee Chang-dong Wins Silver Lion

South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize for “Possible Love,” his poetic examination of class and labour.

The film marks Lee’s first feature in eight years following his acclaimed 2018 movie “Burning.”

“We are living in an era where the meaning of labor is fading and human connections are increasingly becoming severed,” Lee said through a translator. “I made this film to ask what cinema can and should do in times like these.”

Gaza Documentary Wins Special Jury Prize

“NAZA,” a documentary by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor examining military strategies used during the Gaza war, received the Special Jury Prize.

Abraham said the award was particularly important given the criticism the film has faced in Israel.

The documentary was added to the main competition late at the filmmakers’ request and premiered near the end of the festival. It received a reported 25-minute standing ovation.

Shot secretly over three years, the film features testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders, including intelligence officers and soldiers, who discuss the war in Gaza and what they describe as the systematic killing of Palestinian civilians.

Other Major Venice Awards

Ilya Krzhanovsky won the Silver Lion for Best Director for “Dau,” a long-gestating film about Soviet physicists involved in developing the atomic bomb. Krzhanovsky, who renounced his Russian citizenship in protest against the war in Ukraine, dedicated the award to Ukrainians, including his mother, who was born there.

French director Stéphane Brizé won the Best Screenplay award for the corporate drama “A Good Little Soldier.”

Malou Khebizi received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actor for her performance in Cédric Kahn’s “A Place to Heal,” set in an adolescent psychiatric ward at a public hospital.

The festival jury also included “The Voice of Hind Rajab” director Kaouther Ben Hania, English composer Daniel Blumberg, French filmmaker Xavier Giannoli, Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat and Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To.

Malkovich’s Oscar Prospects Get a Boost

Malkovich’s win could strengthen his early awards-season prospects. Other major Hollywood films in competition, including “Primetime,” “Bunker” and “Ink,” were shut out of the top prizes.

The Venice Film Festival is often viewed as an early indicator of the Academy Awards race. In recent years, its acting prizes have helped launch Oscar campaigns for winners including Brendan Fraser and Adrien Brody.

Malkovich, who has previously received Oscar nominations, has yet to win the Academy Award.