Maggie Gyllenhaal, president of the Venice Film Festival jury, addressed questions regarding the awarding of the Golden Lion to May el-Toukhy’s “Woman Unknown,” the only film in competition solely directed by a woman. Gyllenhaal emphasized the film’s quality, rejecting suggestions of a politically motivated decision.
Gyllenhaal began the festival by noting the lack of female filmmakers represented. After awarding the Golden Lion on Saturday night, she responded to a journalist’s question about a “political statement” with a playful denial: “I actually didn’t see ‘Woman Unknown,’ I just was like, ‘It’s made by a woman and so, Golden Lion!’” She quickly clarified, stating, “There are many movies that women made that I don’t like and some that I actively, strongly don’t like, just like films made by men.”
Gyllenhaal explained the jury’s decision-making process, noting each member had one vote and all decisions were “complicated” and involved extensive discussion. She expressed frustration with repeated questioning about gender and her desire to focus on the film’s artistic merit. “I think I’m tired of talking about this same subject over and over,” she said. “I just want to celebrate a beautifully made movie that I felt was like a laser beam just for the well-made movie that it is.”
The jury, which included Kaouther Ben Hania, Johnnie To, Shahrbanoo Sadat, Xavier Giannoli, Daniel Blumberg, and Francesco Casetti, also awarded Mathilde Arcel, star of “Woman Unknown,” the Volpi Cup for best actress. Gyllenhaal explained that a second award could be given to a Golden Lion winner if the decision was unanimous. She predicted Arcel “is going to blow our socks off.”
Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham’s documentary “NAZA,” co-directed by a woman, received the special jury prize. Gyllenhaal praised the film’s “immense bravery and intelligence,” and noted fellow juror Ben Hania pointed out the film’s focus on “systems,” drawing a parallel to Jonathan Glazer’s “Zone of Interest.” She appreciated how “NAZA” expressed this concept “non-literally.”
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