Venice Golden Lion winner May el-Toukhy on Woman Unknown and her Egyptian roots

Danish-Egyptian filmmaker May el-Toukhy has won the Golden Lion, the Venice Film Festival's top prize, for her film 'Woman Unknown'. Mathilde Arcel, the film's lead, also received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. The film follows Marie, a woman in post-Second World War Denmark who hides a dangerous secret regarding her past relationship with a German soldier.

Speaking to The National, el-Toukhy explained that the film was inspired by 1943 propaganda photographs showing women who had relationships with German soldiers being publicly humiliated. She stated, "The film is about the female body as a battleground," describing the women who were dragged into the streets, assaulted, and stigmatised for life.

The director also addressed Denmark's conduct during the occupation, noting that the government collaborated with the Germans to avoid casualties, a narrative that was later rewritten to help the nation cope with its choices. El-Toukhy noted that the film aims to explore the difficult questions surrounding guilt and punishment.

El-Toukhy, who previously won the Sundance audience award for 'Queen of Hearts', was the only woman directing a main competition entry solo at Venice. She expressed a desire for more female colleagues in competition and suggested that the issue of gender representation should be addressed by all delegates and male filmmakers to foster a broader debate.

Reflecting on her heritage, el-Toukhy described herself as a "double person" who carries both her Egyptian and Danish identities. She expressed interest in exploring stories about growing up in Europe with an Egyptian Muslim background during the 1980s and 1990s.