Venice 2026 Winners: May El-Toukhy’s ‘Woman Unknown’ Wins Golden Lion For Best Film — SkimNews
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- May El-Toukhy won the Golden Lion for best film at the 83rd Venice Film Festival for her film "Woman Unknown"
- "Woman Unknown" is described as a post-World War Two psychological thriller set in Denmark in the summer of 1945
- El-Toukhy was one of just two female directors in the running for the Golden Lion this year
- The Danish director's victory was one of the marquee outcomes of the 83rd edition of Venice, the film industry's longest-running international festival
Why it matters: El-Toukhy's Golden Lion is notable because she was one of only two female directors competing for the top prize at this year's Venice — a thin pipeline that underscores how few women-helmed features reach major-festival main competition.
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