Entertainment
‘Woman Unknown’ Wins Golden Lion as John Malkovich Takes Best Actor at Venice Film Festival
May el-Toukhy’s “Woman Unknown” has won the prestigious Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, while veteran actor John Malkovich received the ...
By Wavers News
The winners were announced Saturday by the festival jury, led by filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Malkovich was not present at the awards ceremony because he was filming in Montreal. In a video message, he said he was humbled to receive an award that had previously gone to many wonderful actors.
‘Woman Unknown’ takes top prize
El-Toukhy’s Golden Lion win places her among a small group of women who have received Venice’s top prize. She is only the eighth woman to win the award.
She was also the only woman to have solely directed a film in the main competition this year.
“Woman Unknown” is set in Denmark in the aftermath of the Nazi occupation. The film follows a young nanny and housemaid who is preparing to marry her wealthy employer while carrying a secret from her past an intimate relationship with a German soldier.
That past threatens to damage her reputation and disrupt the life she is trying to build after the war.
El-Toukhy described the film as a story about women who are often unseen, invisible and without a voice. She also thanked Gyllenhaal for using her position to draw attention to unequal opportunities for women in filmmaking.
The film’s lead actress, Mathilde Arcel, also received major recognition, winning the Best Actress award.
Arcel became emotional while accepting the prize, which she placed on the floor during her speech because she said it was very heavy.
The award marked a major milestone for her, as she said it was her first leading role in a movie and her first time at a film festival.
Malkovich wins Best Actor
Malkovich was recognized for his performance in “Wild Horse Nine,” a dark comedy about the CIA and its operations.
Although he was unable to attend the ceremony, the actor sent a video message from Montreal expressing his gratitude for the honor.
The win could also increase attention around Malkovich as the awards season develops. Venice has previously helped generate early Oscar momentum for actors who later received Academy Award recognition.
Malkovich, however, has yet to win an Oscar.
‘Possible Love’ wins Grand Jury Prize
South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize for “Possible Love.”
The film is Lee’s first feature in eight years, following his acclaimed 2018 movie “Burning.”
“Possible Love” explores class and labor while examining the weakening of human connections.
Lee said the film was made at a time when the meaning of labor is fading and human relationships are becoming increasingly disconnected.
He said he made the film to ask what cinema can and should do in such circumstances and viewed the award as encouragement to continue asking those questions.
Gaza documentary receives Special Jury Prize
The documentary “NAZA,” made by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, received the Special Jury Prize.
The film examines military strategies used during the war in Gaza and includes testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders, including intelligence officers and soldiers.
The documentary was added to the main competition late at the filmmakers’ request and premiered toward the end of the festival.
Its premiere generated a major response, receiving a standing ovation that lasted about 25 minutes.
Abraham said the award was particularly meaningful because the film had faced criticism from Israeli politicians and journalists who attacked it without seeing it.
Krzhanovsky wins Best Director
The Silver Lion for Best Director went to Ilya Krzhanovsky for “Dau,” a project about Soviet physicists who worked on the development of the atomic bomb.
Krzhanovsky has renounced his Russian citizenship in protest against Russia’s war in Ukraine.
During his acceptance speech, he dedicated the award to Ukrainians, including his mother, who was born in Ukraine.
French filmmaker Stéphane Brizé won the Best Screenplay award for his corporate drama “A Good Little Soldier.”
The Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actor went to Malou Khebizi for her performance in “A Place to Heal.”
The film is set in an adolescent psychiatric ward at a public hospital.
Hollywood films miss out on major awards
Several of the more high-profile Hollywood productions in the competition failed to win any of the main awards.
They included “Primetime,” “Bunker” and “Ink.”
Despite missing out at Venice, some of the performances from this year's competition could remain part of the wider awards-season conversation.
The Venice Film Festival has previously served as an early launching point for Oscar campaigns. Recent examples include Brendan Fraser and Adrien Brody, who both went on to receive major recognition after winning Best Actor at Venice.
Malkovich’s victory could now put him among the performers attracting early Oscar attention this awards season.
The 83rd Venice Film Festival concluded with “Woman Unknown” taking the Golden Lion, while awards across acting, directing, writing and documentary filmmaking recognized a diverse group of filmmakers and performers.