El-Toukhy wins Golden Lion at Venice for 'Woman Unknown'
Entertainment
Danish director May el-Toukhy just took home the Golden Lion for Woman Unknown at the Venice Film Festival.
The movie follows a housemaid in post-World War II Denmark, whose past with a German soldier puts her future at risk as society turns against her.
Mathilde Arcel, who played the lead, also snagged Best Actress.
El-Toukhy sole woman in Venice competition
El-Toukhy was the only woman competing among 21 directors. Her win shines a light on how tough it still is for female filmmakers to break through.
Festival director Alberto Barbera said selections are about quality, not gender.
Other big winners include Lee Chang-dong (Silver Lion for Promised Love), Ilya Khrzhanovsky (Best Director for DAU), John Malkovich (Best Actor), and NAZA (Special Jury Prize).