Venice Film Festival Reveals 2026 Award Winners: ‘Woman Unknown’ Takes the Golden Lion

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Who published it, and when

How it spread - 26 original reports, 2 reprints

1. Mon, 7 September 2026

   4 reports
   • La Repubblica (Italy)03:00first to report
     May el-Toukhy: “Gli uomini pagano la guerra con la vita, le donne con il corpo”

     Incontro a Venezia 83 con la regista in concorso con “Woman Unknown”

   • Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy)09:29
     Woman Unknown, May el-Toukhy firma a Venezia un thriller postbellico radicalmente femminile e femminista

     Difficile trovare un punto di vista così radicalmente femminile, e femminista, in un film. Figuriamoci tra i titoli del Concorso di Venezia 83, dominato dai registi maschi (venti contro una). Eppure la 49enne regista danese di origini egiziane May el-Toukhy, con Woman Unknown, mette in scena un incubo a cielo aperto, postbellico, plumbeo e ben […] L'articolo Woman Unknown, May el-Toukhy firma a Venezia un thriller postbellico radicalmente femminile e femminista proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano .

   • France Info (France)09:35
     Mostra de Venise : avec "Woman Unknown" de May el-Toukhy, l'invisibilité des femmes crève l'écran

     La réalisatrice dano-égyptienne est venue présenter son dernier film : l'histoire au Danemark, à la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, d'une nourrice qui épouse son employeur.

   • ANSA (Italy)10:29
     Venezia 83, il red carpet per l’anteprima di "Woman Unknown"

     Film diretto da May El-Toukhy, è in gara per il Leone d’Oro

2. Sat, 12 September 2026

   14 reports
   • El Mundo (Spain)18:56edited after publishing
     "El cuerpo de mujer como campo de batalla" se hace con un acertado León de Oro de la mano de 'Woman Unknown', de la danesa May el-Toukhy

     previouslyWoman Unknown, de May el-Toukhy, León de Oro en el Festival de Venecia

     La ganadora era la única mujer que firmaba una película en solitario en la competición oficial y su premio desnuda el errático criterio de selección de la Mostra. El Gran Premio del Jurado es para 'Un amor posible', del coreano Lee Chang-Dong Leer

   • Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy)18:57edited after publishing
     I vincitori di Venezia 83 – Il Leone d’oro va a Woman Unknown. Malkovich e Arcel migliori attori. All’israeliano Naza il premio speciale della Giuria

     Il Leone d’Oro va, a sorpresa, al danese Woman Unknown della regista May el-Toukhy. John Malkovich vince la coppa Volpi come miglior attore per Wild horse nine, il documentario sullo sterminio perpetrato dagli israeliani contro gli abitanti di Gaza vince un Leone Speciale, ma soprattutto l’Italia con cinque film in Concorso rimane totalmente a bocca […] L'articolo I vincitori di Venezia 83 – Il Leone d’oro va a Woman Unknown. Malkovich e Arcel migliori attori. All’israeliano Naza il premio...

   • Google News - Top Stories18:58
     Venice Film Festival Reveals 2026 Award Winners: ‘Woman Unknown’ Takes the Golden Lion

     Venice Film Festival Reveals 2026 Award Winners: ‘Woman Unknown’ Takes the Golden Lion IndieWire ‘Woman Unknown’ Takes Top Prize at Venice Film Festival The New York Times Venice Film Festival Unveils 2026 Winners deadline.com Woman Unknown wins Venice film festival as NAZA takes special jury prize theguardian.com Venice Film Festival 2026 awards ceremony – watch and follow the winners live Screen Daily

   • El País (Spain)19:00edited after publishing
     ‘Woman Unknown’, de May el-Toukhy, León de Oro en un festival de Venecia marcado por la falta de directoras

     previouslyLa danesa ‘Woman Unknown’, de May el-Toukhy, gana el León de Oro en el Festival de Venecia

     ‘Possible Love’, de Lee Chang-dong, se lleva el Gran Premio del Jurado; ‘DAU’, de Ilya Khrzhanovskiy, el premio a la mejor dirección; y ‘NAZA’, con los testimonios de soldados israelíes, el Premio Especial del Jurado

   • ABC (Spain)19:07edited after publishing ×3
     El Festival de Venecia premia a la danesa 'Woman Unknown' con el León de Oro

     previouslyEl Festival de Venecia premia a la danesa 'Woman Unknown' con el León de Oro y España se va de vacío

     El Festival de Venecia ha clausurado este sábado su edición más política. El León de Oro ha sido para 'Woman Unknown' , sobre una niñera que intenta reconstruir su vida tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Dirigida por la egipcia-danesa May el-Toukhy, también ha conseguido la Copa Volpi a la Mejor Actriz.En cualquier caso, todas las miradas estaban puestas en el documental 'Naza', sobre las estrategias militares de Israel en Palestina. Dirigida por Yuval Abraham y Rachel Szor (responsables del...

   • Die Zeit (Germany)19:12
     Filmfestspiele Venedig: Dänische Regisseurin May el-Toukhy gewinnt Goldenen Löwen

     Für ihren Historienfilm hat die Regisseurin May el-Toukhy den Hauptpreis der Filmfestspiele in Venedig erhalten. Auch dessen Hauptdarstellerin wurde ausgezeichnet.

   • Novinky (Czechia)19:54
     Ženské tělo je bojiště, říká režisérka vítězného filmu v Benátkách. Češi na festivalu neuspěli

     Zlatého lva za nejlepší film získalo na letošním festivalu v Benátkách historické drama Kvinde ukendt (Neznámá žena) dánské režisérky s egyptskými kořeny May el-Toukhyové. Třiaosmdesátý ročník přehlídky skončil v sobotu večer. Z československých snímků se na ní objevil titul Valerie a týden divů v režii Jaromila Jireše z roku 1970, který soutěžní sekci Venice Classics neovládl.

   • iRozhlas (Czechia)20:04
     Zlatého lva získalo v Benátkách historické drama Woman Unknown. Porota ocenila i dokument Naza

     Hlavní cenu Zlatého lva na 83. ročníku mezinárodního filmového festivalu v Benátkách získalo v sobotu historické drama Woman Unknown (Neznámá žena) dánsko-egyptské režisérky Mayi el-Toukhyové. Zvláštní cenu poroty pak obdržel dokumentární film Naza izraelských novinářů Juvala Abrahama a Rachel Szorové, v němž několik bývalých i současných izraelských vojáků anonymně vypovídá o zabíjení palestinských civilistů ve válce v Pásmu Gazy.

   • South China Morning Post20:05
     ‘Woman Unknown’ wins Gold Lion at Venice Film Festival

     Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy’s post-war drama Woman Unknown ⁠won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, with its star Mathilde Arcel also taking best actress honours in a rare double victory. El-Toukhy was the only woman directing a feature film in the main, 21-strong film line-up, a disparity that drew criticism during the festival and prompted renewed scrutiny of the barriers facing women in cinema. Set in the aftermath of World War II, Woman Unknown follows a housemaid...

   • Tagesschau (Germany)20:36edited after publishing
     "Woman Unknown" gewinnt Goldenen Löwen in Venedig

     Eine Auszeichnung bei den Filmfestspielen in Venedig zählt für Filmschaffende zu den wichtigsten Ehrungen. In diesem Jahr ging der Goldene Löwe für den besten Film an "Women Unknown" von May el-Toukhy. Einen Preis gab es auch für eine Gaza-Doku.

   • La Repubblica (Italy)20:41
     Il Leone d’oro parla danese: a Venezia trionfa l’unica regista. Per l’Italia zero titoli

     Il massimo riconoscimento al film di May el-Toukhy, e la protagonista vince la Coppa Volpi. L’attore è John Malkovich, miglior regia al contestato “Dau”. Al doc “Naza” il premio speciale della giuria

   • Der Spiegel (Germany)20:46
     Filmfestival in Venedig: Goldener Löwe geht an dänisch-ägyptische Regisseurin May El-Toukhy

     May El-Toukhy gewinnt den Goldenen Löwen für ihren Film »Woman Unknown«. Hauptdarstellerin Mathilde Arcel wird als beste Schauspielerin ausgezeichnet. Für eine Doku über den Krieg in Gaza gibt es Standing Ovations.

   • Google News - Top Stories20:55
     Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Venice Jury Didn’t Award ‘Woman Unknown’ the Golden Lion Just Because It Was Directed by a Woman: It ‘Was Like a Laser Beam’

     Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Venice Jury Didn’t Award ‘Woman Unknown’ the Golden Lion Just Because It Was Directed by a Woman: It ‘Was Like a Laser Beam’ Variety ‘Woman Unknown’ Takes Top Prize at Venice Film Festival The New York Times Venice 2026 Winners: May El-Toukhy’s ‘Woman Unknown’ Wins Golden Lion For Best Film – Full List Deadline Woman Unknown wins Venice film festival as NAZA takes special jury prize The Guardian Venice Prizes Elevate John Malkovich, ‘Possible Love,’ and ‘NAZA’ to Oscar...

   • Google News - Top Stories23:59
     Danish drama set in aftermath of Nazi occupation wins top prize at Venice festival

     Danish drama set in aftermath of Nazi occupation wins top prize at Venice festival The Times of Israel ‘Woman Unknown’ Takes Top Prize at Venice Film Festival The New York Times ‘Woman Unknown’ wins Golden Lion, Malkovich ‘humbled’ by best actor award at Venice Film Festival NBC News Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Venice Jury Didn’t Award ‘Woman Unknown’ the Golden Lion Just Because It Was Directed by a Woman: It ‘Was Like a Laser Beam’ Variety Bold and bravura choices as Venice celebrates A Woman...

3. Sun, 13 September 2026

   3 reports
   • La Repubblica (Italy)03:00
     May el-Toukhy: “Un film per le invisibili. E per mia figlia, perché usi la sua voce”

     La regista danese è solo la settima autrice a vincere il Leone d’oro in 83 edizioni della Mostra di Venezia. “Il nostro corpo è ancora un campo di battaglia”

   • Le Monde (France)03:00
     Mostra de Venise : le film « Woman Unknown », de May el-Toukhy, Lion d’or d’une édition au palmarès très politique

     La réalisatrice dano-égyptienne a rendu hommage aux « femmes invisibles et sans voix ». Ilia Khrjanovski a dédié son Lion d’argent « aux Ukrainiens qui se battent pour la liberté », et les Israéliens Yuval Abraham et Rachel Szor ont reçu le prix spécial du jury pour leur documentaire sur les civils tués par l’armée israélienne à Gaza.

     1 reprint

     • Le Monde English13 Sept, 16:05their copy
   • iRozhlas (Czechia)09:28
     Je o ženském strachu, chybách a svědomí člověka zahnaného do kouta. Benátky ovládla Neznámá žena

     Snímek Neznámá žena vyhrál Zlatého lva. Jediný film režírovaný ženou tak vyhrál celý benátský filmový festival. Hlavní soutěži letos žánrově drtivě dominovala dramata a témata svědomí. Některé z filmů se chystají i do české kinodistribuce.

4. Mon, 14 September 2026

   2 reports
   • Google News - Europe query17:16
     Council of Europe supported Woman Unknown wins Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival - coe.int

     Council of Europe supported Woman Unknown wins Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival coe.int

   • Google News - Europe query17:17
     Council of Europe supported Woman Unknown wins Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival - coe.int

     Council of Europe supported Woman Unknown wins Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival coe.int

5. Tue, 15 September 2026

   1 report
   • The Guardian World10:37
     Venice best actress winner says she signed on at Danish job centre days before her victory

     Mathilde Arcel, who won the Volpi Cup on Saturday for her role in Golden Lion winner Woman Unknown, said job offers have now begun to arrive The winner of this year’s best actress prize at the Venice film festival has revealed that she is on unemployment benefits and had to fly to back to Copenhagen to report to the job centre before receiving her award. On Saturday night, Danish actor Mathilde Arcel won the prestigious Volpi Cup for her first leading role in a feature film, May el-Toukhy’s...

     1 reprint

     • aol.co.uk15 Sept, 10:37their copy
6. Thu, 17 September 2026

   1 report
   • bfi.org.uk15:48
     Woman Unknown review

     Mathilde Arcel gives a committed performance as a Danish housemaid haunted by a secret that threatens her new life, but el-Toukhy’s Golden Lion-winner fails to give its (anti)heroine a personality beyond her predicament.

7. Fri, 18 September 2026

   1 report
   • Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy)07:15
     Mathilde Arcel vince la Coppa Volpi a Venezia, ma prima deve passare dal centro per l’impiego per il sussidio di disoccupazione: la storia che ha spiazzato tutti

     C’è chi arriva sul red carpet in limousine, e chi, invece, pochi giorni prima di ritirare uno dei premi più ambiti del cinema mondiale deve prendere un volo per andare a “timbrare il cartellino” alla disoccupazione. È quello che è successo a Mathilde Arcel, attrice danese che sabato ha vinto la Coppa Volpi come miglior […] L'articolo Mathilde Arcel vince la Coppa Volpi a Venezia, ma prima deve passare dal centro per l’impiego per il sussidio di disoccupazione: la storia che ha spiazzato tutti...