May el-Toukhy highlights gender inequality at Venice Film Festival

Danish-Egyptian director May el-Toukhy has highlighted systemic gender inequality within the film industry during the Venice Film Festival. As the only woman directing a fiction film among the 21 contenders for the Golden Lion, el-Toukhy noted that the scarcity of female representation reflects a structural problem.

El-Toukhy, whose film ‘Woman Unknown’ is set in post-World War II Denmark, criticized the ‘cult of male genius’ that often excludes female filmmakers from similar acclaim. She observed that while the MeToo movement increased awareness of gender imbalances, the industry appears to be returning to previous patterns. She also noted that securing financing and progressing through career stages remains more difficult for women than for their male peers.

Festival director Alberto Barbera defended the current lineup, stating that women directed 24% of submitted films, a decrease from 30% the previous year, and maintained that selection decisions are based on artistic quality.