Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy is competing for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival with Woman Unknown, one of only two films directed by women in this year’s main competition, states Deadline.
Set in Denmark in 1945, the psychological thriller follows Marie, a nanny played by Mathilde Arcel, who is preparing to marry her wealthy, older employer.
Her plans are threatened when a secret from her past comes to light.
The film explores the public humiliation of women accused of having relationships with German soldiers after World War Two.
El-Toukhy said the story was inspired by research into the treatment of these women, many of whom were punished despite their relationships not being illegal.
She described the lack of female directors at Venice as a structural problem, pointing to the difficulties women face in securing funding, making films and receiving recognition.
Woman Unknown is El-Toukhy’s first feature in seven years.
Influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and Ettore Scola’s A Special Day, the film follows Marie closely over five days and uses a limited visual palette of black, white and red.
The film is produced by Mikael Rieks for Nordisk Film Production, with TrustNordisk handling international sales.
