Danish actor Mathilde Arcel won the best actress prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday evening for her lead role in the drama “Kvinde ukendt.”
DR reports that Arcel received the award for her leading part in May el-Toukhy’s film. The film had its world premiere at the festival and screened in the main competition.
According to DR, Arcel is the first Danish actor to receive the Venice Film Festival’s official acting prize. The award for best male lead went to American actor John Malkovich for “Wild Horse Nine.”
Variety reports that the jury gave Arcel the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. The Film Verdict also lists her among the winners at the 83rd edition of the festival.
As reported by Euronews, the festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion for best film, also went to “Kvinde ukendt.” That made the awards ceremony a double win for the same Danish production.
Film set around the liberation of Denmark
“Kvinde ukendt” follows a young woman named Marie, who is about to marry a wealthy widower. When Denmark is liberated in May 1945, she fears that a secret will destroy everything, DR writes.
According to Ahram Online and AFP, Marie is hiding a past relationship with a Nazi during the occupation of Denmark. The story centers on a particular group of women in the period after the war.
May el-Toukhy directed the film and wrote the screenplay together with Maren Louise Käehne. The two had the same division of work on “Dronningen” from 2019, which starred Trine Dyrholm in the lead role.
Arcel plays opposite Carsten Bjørnlund in the drama. She has previously appeared in the films “Rejseholdet” and “Det andet offer,” both from 2025.
The Venice Film Festival rolled out its red carpet on September 2 and closed with Saturday’s awards ceremony. Photographs from the evening show Arcel with her statuette.
The film travels on to the Toronto Film Festival next week, where it will be shown for the press on Tuesday. Following its Venice premiere, “Kvinde ukendt” opens in Danish cinemas on February 4, 2027.
