Why did Mai El-Toukhy win the Golden Lion at Venice 2026?
The Golden Lion for best film went to Woman Unknown, directed by Mai El-Toukhy. The Danish production was the sole competition entry with a woman as sole director. The story centres on Marie, played by Mathilde Arcel, a young nanny who plans to marry her wealthy widowed employer while concealing a relationship she had with a German soldier during the Second World War.
El-Toukhy used her acceptance speech to highlight the scarcity of women directors in the main competition. Jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal had already raised the issue at the start of the festival, describing it as a systemic barrier to funding. El-Toukhy thanked Gyllenhaal directly for drawing attention to unequal opportunities and said the project had been financially, physically and emotionally demanding. She added that the film existed to illuminate unknown women from shared history and make them known, and that the award allowed her to achieve exactly that. The source leaves open how the jury balanced the film’s artistic merits against the acknowledged gender imbalance in the selection. Gyllenhaal had stated in a press conference that securing financing remains harder for women, and El-Toukhy echoed this by noting the systemic problem while expressing gratitude that the jury recognised the work despite these obstacles.
How did Jacqueline Lentzou achieve a double win in Horizons?
Jacqueline Lentzou received the Best Director prize in the Horizons section for A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra. The film draws on events in Athens in December 2008 after the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos. In her speech Lentzou spoke without notes, stressing the difficulty of financing independent cinema and calling for an end to the killing of children. She also received the Edipo Re Award for Inclusion and Sustainability, given by an independent jury linked to Ca’ Foscari University and MyMovies. The award recognises projects that adopt inclusive and environmentally sustainable approaches both on screen and in production. The source provides no further detail on how the two juries reached their decisions or whether the same film elements were cited in both citations. Lentzou emphasised that the project took a risk with its independent approach and thanked the festival for understanding that choice.
What performance earned John Malkovich the Volpi Cup?
John Malkovich won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his role as an eccentric CIA agent in Wild Horse Nine, directed by Martin McDonagh. The 72-year-old actor was unable to attend the ceremony because he was filming in Montreal and appeared via video message. He expressed astonishment at being added to a list of previous recipients that spans 83 editions of the festival. The source records no further comment on the character or on whether the performance has prompted early awards-season discussion beyond the Volpi Cup itself, although the film has already sparked Oscar talk for Malkovich. He said he felt awe at joining the distinguished list of past winners.
Why was the documentary NAZA given a Special Jury Prize?
The Israeli-made documentary NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the team behind No Other Land, received the Special Jury Prize. The film examines the conflict in Gaza. Abraham noted in his speech that Israeli politicians and journalists had already attacked the work without viewing it, and said considerable effort was being made to avoid confronting reality on the ground. The source supplies no additional information on the film’s content or on the precise wording of the jury citation. Abraham stressed that standing on stage was not easy given the attacks the film had faced before any screening.
Which other films and individuals received major awards?
Best Screenplay went to Un Bon Petit Soldat by Stéphane Brizé, Coralie Amédéo and Olivier Gorce. The Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a first-time director was given to La maison du vent by Ogüst Bernar Kouemo Yangou. In Horizons, Best Film was awarded to Un détour par Diane by Anne Siro and Raphaël Balboni, while Best Screenplay went to Tommaso Landucci and Damiano Femper for I figli della scimmia. The restored-film prize recognised La lunga notte del ’43 by Florestano Vancini. Earlier in the festival, Ellen Burstyn and George Clooney each received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The ceremony also paid tribute to British producer Jeremy Thomas, who died on 11 September 2026 at the age of 77. Thomas had won the Academy Award for Best Picture for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor in 1988. The source does not specify whether additional tributes or statements were made about Thomas during the final ceremony. Gianluca Farinelli, head of the Bologna Film Archive, recalled Thomas’s love for cinema made by people rather than artificial intelligence and his deep connection to Italy through five films with Bertolucci. The jury included Johnny To, Shahrbanoo Sadat, Xavier Giannoli, Daniel Blumberg and Francesco Casetti under Maggie Gyllenhaal’s presidency.
Conclusion: Industry issues and Greek success at Venice 2026
The festival underscored ongoing challenges in funding for women directors while celebrating independent voices and historical tributes. Lentzou’s double recognition highlighted Greek cinema’s international reach, and the jury composition reflected diverse perspectives from around the world.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Golden Lion at the 2026 Venice Film Festival?
Mai El-Toukhy won the Golden Lion for her film Woman Unknown, the only competition title directed solely by a woman.
Which Greek director won two awards?
Jacqueline Lentzou won both the Horizons Best Director prize and the Edipo Re Award for Inclusion and Sustainability.
What prize did John Malkovich receive?
John Malkovich received the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in Wild Horse Nine.
Which documentary about Gaza was honoured?
The documentary NAZA by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor received the Special Jury Prize.
Who received lifetime achievement awards?
Ellen Burstyn and George Clooney each received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement earlier in the festival.
