Denmark's 'Unknown Woman' Wins Top Prize at Venice Film Festival

The 79th Venice Film Festival awarded its top prize on Saturday to the Danish-made drama "Unknown Woman," directed The film was a major talking point at the festival due to its subject matter, which has rarely been explored in film, and because it is the only feature film with a female director in the competition. El-Toukhy's film explores the theme of the female body as a battleground and a public matter, while also shedding light on women who are invisible, unseen, and voiceless.

Head This Years Jury American

The head of this year's jury, American actor-director Maggie Gyllenhaal, had questioned the dearth of women-directed films on the opening day. "There's a systemic problem," she told reporters. The prize ceremony on Saturday wrapped up 10 days of often dark, disturbing programming that chief organiser Alberto Barbera had promised would echo the war-torn and anxiety-filled state of the world.

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The second-place Silver Lion went to "Possible Love," a poignant relationship study. The best director prize, however, went to Russian-born Ilya Khrzhanovsky for his vast, riotous, and experimental cinema project "DAU." The film chronicles the life of the troubled father of the Soviet nuclear programme, Lev Landau, and took over three years to complete, involving 2,000 people, many of whom lived in character on a full-scale reconstruction of a secret Soviet research institute.

Khrzhanovsky dedicated his prize to the people of Ukraine, who are fighting for their freedom.

Best Actor Award Went John

The best actor award went to John Malkovich for his role as a jaded CIA agent in dark comedy "Wild Horse Nine." The film follows him and his colleague on Easter Island in Chile ahead of the 1973 US-backed military coup. Variety described Malkovich's performance as "drumming up awards buzz" and tipped him for a possible first best actor Oscar at the next awards ceremony.

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The best actress award was given to the lead actress in "Unknown Woman," who plays a bride-to-be desperately trying to hide the shame of her past relationship with a Nazi during occupied Denmark. She expressed her gratitude, saying, "If it's a dream I really don't want to wake up."

"NAZA" won the special jury prize instead of the main award. The film, directed The Israeli intelligence officers spoke about how this mass killing is systemic, not an isolated incident.