Venice: Golden Lion for “Woman Unknown” and Silver for “Possible Love”

Nthis 83rd edition, which began on 02nd and ends today, the international jury decided to award May el-Toukhy, one of the only two directors in competition, with the highest prize of the event (Gold Lion).

The third feature film by the Egyptian-Danish filmmaker, “Woman Unknown”, addresses “the invisibility of women”, explained, and tells the story of Marie, a maid about to marry her boss shortly after the end of World War II in Denmark, but whose dark secret resurfaces, threatening to destroy everything.

The second most important award of the international event was awarded to Lee Chang-dong’s film “Possible Love”, a reflection on class differences and the desire to fit into society.

This is Lee's first film in eight years, after the acclaimed "On Fire", and was one of the critics' favorites at the festival.

The jury led by Maggie Gyllenhaal announced the awards, which included Best Actress, delivered to Danish Mathilde Arcel, for her interpretation of the maid who keeps a dark secret in the film "Woman Unknown".

The Best Actor fell to American actor John Malkovich for his role as a cynical CIA agent and tormented in Wild Horse Nine, performed by British-Irish Martin McDonagh.

At the age of 72, the actor wins his first major prize at an important film festival, after a rich and eclectic career that alternates between art cinema, blockbusters and contemporary theater.

French actress Malou Khebizi, who impressed on the role of a young girl with borderline personality disorder in Cédric Kahn’s film “15/18” on a child psychiatric unit, received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Revelation.

The jury of the Venice Film Festival that delivers the main awards also included Hong Kong director Johnnie To, Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, French director and screenwriter Xavier Giannoli and British composer Daniel Blumberg.