The 83rd Venice International Film Festival closed on September 12 with the Golden Lion going to Woman Unknown, directed by May el-Toukhy. The film also earned its lead, Mathilde Arcel, the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, making it the clear winner of this year’s competition on the Lido.
The jury, led by actor and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal, spread its remaining awards across filmmakers from several countries.
The full list of main competition winners
- Golden Lion for Best Film: Woman Unknown, May el-Toukhy
- Silver Lion, Grand Jury Prize: Possible Love, Lee Chang-dong
- Silver Lion for Best Director: Ilya Khrzhanovsky, DAU
- Special Jury Prize: NAZA, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor
- Volpi Cup for Best Actor: John Malkovich, Wild Horse Nine
- Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Mathilde Arcel, Woman Unknown
- Best Screenplay: A Good Little Soldier, Stéphane Brizé, Coralie Amédéo and Olivier Gorce
- Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress: Malou Khebizi, A Place to Heal
Key takeaways
A director’s breakthrough. May el-Toukhy, a Danish filmmaker previously recognised for intimate character dramas, now joins the list of Golden Lion winners, a prize that often launches a film into the wider awards conversation.
A veteran’s honour. John Malkovich’s Volpi Cup for Wild Horse Nine adds a major festival prize to a career spanning more than four decades. The film travels next to the London Film Festival in October.
Lee Chang-dong returns. The South Korean auteur’s Possible Love took the Grand Jury Prize, Venice’s second-highest honour, reinforcing his reputation as one of world cinema’s most respected storytellers.
The festival in context
Venice opened on September 2 with Danny Boyle’s Ink, a British drama in which Guy Pearce plays media owner Rupert Murdoch. Over the following ten days the Lido hosted premieres from established names and new voices alike. Several titles from this year’s lineup, including Possible Love and Wild Horse Nine, have since moved on to other autumn festivals, a familiar path for films hoping to build momentum toward the Oscars.
What comes next
Golden Lion winners have increasingly become serious contenders during awards season. Distribution deals, release dates and early critics’ prizes will show how far Woman Unknown can travel. Follow festivals and premieres in our Celebrity section.