Maggie Gyllenhaal presided over the Venice Film Festival’s jury this year and highlighted the underrepresentation of female filmmakers competing for the festival’s top honor at the beginning of her tenure. The jury ultimately selected “Woman Unknown,” directed by May el-Toukhy, as the recipient of the Golden Lion award on Saturday evening. This marked the only film in competition that was solely helmed by a woman director.
During the post-awards press conference, Gyllenhaal addressed questions about whether the selection constituted a political gesture. She emphasized that the jury’s decision was based on the film’s artistic merit rather than the director’s gender. Gyllenhaal characterized the film as exceptionally well-crafted and described it as “like a laser beam” in its execution. She acknowledged that the jury evaluates films made by both men and women critically and that award decisions involve extensive deliberation among all jury members.
The jury also honored actress Mathilde Arcel with the Volpi Cup for best actress, a selection Gyllenhaal noted was unanimous among jurors. Additionally, the documentary “NAZA,” which was co-directed by Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham and examines the Gaza conflict, received the special jury prize. Gyllenhaal praised the film’s “immense bravery and intelligence,” noting its innovative approach to depicting systemic issues.
Originally reported by Variety →
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