# May el-Toukhy film premiere at Venice Film Festival

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/may-el-toukhy-film-premiere-at-venice-film-festival
> Updated: 2026-09-06T20:15:00.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

Director May el-Toukhy presented her psychological thriller, ‘Woman Unknown’, at the Venice Film Festival. Set in 1945 Denmark, the film follows a nanny named Marie and examines the experiences of women accused of being ‘horizontal collaborators’ due to relationships with German soldiers during the occupation.

El-Toukhy stated the film aims to provide a voice to female experiences during and after World War II, noting how the female body can become a ‘battlefield for national identity and public shaming’. The narrative uses a rigid, haut-bourgeois setting to explore themes of sexual shame, violence, and whether private lives should be subject to public judgment.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-06: May el-Toukhy’s ‘Woman Unknown’ explores sexual shame in post-war Copenhagen

Director May el-Toukhy’s ‘Woman Unknown’ explores sexual shame and the consequences of private lives in post-WWII Copenhagen.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/may-el-toukhys-woman-unknown-explores-sexual-shame-in-post-war-copenhagen

### 2026-09-06: May el-Toukhy presents “Woman Unknown” at Venice Film Festival

At the Venice Film Festival, director May el-Toukhy presents “Woman Unknown,” a film exploring the lives of women accused of collaborating with German soldiers in post-WWII Denmark.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/may-el-toukhy-discusses-woman-unknown-and-venice-gender-issues

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Cite as: May el-Toukhy film premiere at Venice Film Festival. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/may-el-toukhy-film-premiere-at-venice-film-festival