TrustNordisk is proud to announce that WOMAN UNKNOWN by director May el-Toukhy has been selected for Competition at this year’s Venice International Film Festival where it will celebrate its world premiere.
May el-Toukhy's upcoming Danish feature film, WOMAN UNKNOWN, is a suspenseful and sophisticated psychological drama starring the new rising star Mathilde Arcel (SECOND VICTIMS; SPECIAL UNIT – THE FIRST MURDER) in the leading role.
Arcel is supported by Carsten Bjørnlund (THE LEGACY), Thorbjørn Hedegaard (GENERATIONS), Marina Bouras (SONS; THE IDIOTS) among others in a story about a young woman desperately trying to erase the past and rewrite her life.
Since her debut LONG STORY SHORT (2015) director May el-Toukhy has proven her exceptional talent for directing emotionally charged and character-driven dramas.
Her second feature film QUEEN OF HEARTS (2019) world premiered at Sundance International Film Festival and received numerous awards at festivals all over the world e.g. the Audience Award at Sundance, the Nordic Council Film Prize and 3 awards at Gothenburg International Film Festival, to name a few.
Besides feature films, el-Toukhy has directed several episodes of popular series such as THE LEGACY (2017), RIDE UPON THE STORM (2017), CRY WOLF (2020) and several episodes of THE CROWN (2022-2023). May el-Toukhy is also among the five filmmakers in the artistic collective behind the Danish DOGMA 25-initiative.
WOMAN UNKNOWN is el-Toukhy’s third feature film with which she continues her long-term co-operation with screenwriter Maren Louise Käehne (LONG STORY SHORT; QUEEN OF HEARTS, THE BRIDGE, BORGEN).
WOMAN UNKNOWN tells the story of one of the many thousands of women who, in the weeks leading up to and immediately following the liberation in 1945, were hunted down and humiliated publicly by their fellow citizens because of their intimate relationships with German soldiers during the occupation. These were weeks marked by euphoria and hope, but also by chaos and vigilantism in the absence of a functioning legal system in the wake of the war and the women’s sexual behaviour was perceived as a violation of the nation’s identity and self-image, making it a collective mission to punish them for who they had shared their bodies with. The female body as a public domain and a battlefield are central themes in the film that I believe remain relevant and have the potential to resonate universally and not only in times of war. I look forward to bringing the film to Venice - a dream launchpad for presenting it to a global audience, says director May el-Toukhy.
“When we first read the script almost three years ago, we instantly knew that this project was something truly exceptional and that we really wanted to work with the film. We are so proud to be able to bring this film to an international audience and help shine a light on a subject that in many ways still has relevance today and with May el-Toukhy directing we can guarantee a cinematic experience that will stay with you. We have been looking forward to presenting this film to the world and we couldn’t ask for a better place than Venice FF to have the world premiere”, states Nicolai Korsgaard, Sales Director at TrustNordisk.
SYNOPSIS
Marie, a young nanny and housemaid, is about to marry the wealthy older widower, Christian, for whom she is working. But Marie guards a shameful secret. During World War II, she was in an intimate relationship with a German soldier. Now Marie’s past threatens to catch up with her, and she is forced to do everything in her power to preserve her new status as lady of the house in post-war anarchy.
WOMAN UNKNOWN is directed by May el-Toukhy, written by May el-Toukhy and Maren Louise Käehne and produced by Mikael Rieks (LAND OF MINE; BOUNDLESS; APPLAUSE) for Nordisk Film Production A/S in co-production with Nafta Films, Nordisk Film Production Sweden and Film i Väst with support from The Danish Film Institute, Eurimages - Council of Europe, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Riga City Council, Nordisk Film & TV Fund, DR, The Swedish Film Institute, SVT, LIAA, Riga Film Fund, TrustNordisk and Zentropa. Local distribution by Nordisk Film Distribution. TrustNordisk handles international sales.
The 83rd Venice Film Festival will run from September 2nd-12th 2026.