May el-Toukhy’s Woman Unknown won the Golden Lion for best film at the 2026 Venice Film Festival.
The Danish Egyptian filmmaker’s third feature is set shortly after the Nazi occupation of Denmark and follows a young housekeeper with a secret as she prepares to marry her wealthy employer.
Scroll down for full list of winners
It is the only feature in this year’s Venice competition by a sole female director, and is el-Toukhy’s first feature since Denmark’s 2020 Academy Award submission Queen Of Hearts. TrustNordisk is handling sales.
In her winner’s speech, el-Toukhy referenced the “lack of equal opportunities for female filmmakers in our industry”, adding that Woman Unknown was “incredibly challenging to make financially, logistically, emotionally… And what kept me going was the urgent need to illuminate the unknown women of our common history, to make them known.”
The film’s lead Mathilde Arcel also won the best actress prize, with John Malkovich awarded best actor for his performance in Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine. Speaking via a video message, Malkovich thanked McDonagh for “gifting me a fantastic role”.
The festival’s special jury prize went to Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s documentary NAZA, which sees Israeli Intelligence Corps operatives interviewed about their actions in Gaza. Jonathan Glazer is executive producer on the project.
Abraham said in his speech that at least six Palestinian children had been killed by Israel in Gaza since the start of the festival. “We believe that denial of the crime is what helps it persist,” he said. “That is why it is incredibly important for us that Israelis watch this film.”
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Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love, his long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s Burning, collected the Silver Lion grand jury prize. His latest follows two married couples whose paths cross when a filmmaker sets out to document their lives. Netflix will release it in November.
Ilya Khrzanovsky won the best director Silver Lion for Dau, the latest in his epic multi-format project that tells the story of a brilliant USSR physicist over four decades.
The best screenplay prize was won by Golden Osella for Stéphane Brizé’s A Good Little Soldier.
The ceremony was hosted by Italian actors Greta Scarano and Nicolas Maupas. A competition jury led by US actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal awarded eight prizes, including the Golden Lion.
Yesterday, Maria Aparicio’s Argentinian film Sometimes Sadness, Sometimes Rebellion won the director’s award in the independent Giornate degli Autori sidebar, with Tommaso Usberti’s Before The War taking two prizes including best film in Critics’ Week.
US actors Ellen Burstyn and George Clooney both received Golden Lion awards for lifetime achievement at this year’s festival.
The festival closes this evening with the world premiere of Giovanni Veronesi’s Italian feature Dio Ride, playing out of competition.
Last year’s Golden Lion for best film went to Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother.
Venice Film Festival 2026 winners
Competition
Golden Lion - Woman Unknown, dir. May el-Toukhy
Special jury prize - NAZA, dir. Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor
Silver Lion grand jury prize - Possible Love, dir. Lee Chang-dong
Silver Lion for best director - Ilya Khrzanovsky for Dau
Volpi Cup for best actress - Mathilde Arcel for Woman Unknown
Volpi Cup for best actor - John Malkovich for Wild Horse Nine
Golden Osella for best screenplay - A Good Little Soldier
Marcello Mastroianni award for emerging actor/actress - Malou Khebizi for A Place To Heal
Audience award - I Matter, dir. Alina Şerban
Horizons
Best film - Diane In The Loop, dirs. Ann Sirot, Raphaël Balboni
Best director - Jacqueline Lentzou for A Day In The Life Of Jo: Chapter Phaedra
Special jury prize - House Of The Wind, dir. Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu
Best actress - Laleh Marzban for Falling House
Best actor - Riccardo Scamarcio for The Children Of The Monkey
Best screenplay - Tommaso Landucci, Damian Femert for The Children Of The Monkey
Best short film - A Few Moments Of Happiness, dir. Shaden Safieddine Tazi
Luigi De Laurentiis award for debut film - House Of The Wind, dir. Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu
Venice Classics
Best restored film - Long Night Of 1943, dir. Florestano Vancini
Venice Immersive
Grand prize - The Pigeon Ring, cre. Shixin Tao, Yuqi Zhang
Special jury prize - Out Of The Ashes, cre. Rory Mitchell, Nonny de la Peña
Achievement prize - Empire At Sea, cre. Peter Flaherty
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