The Venice Film Festival wrapped up on Saturday, crowning the Danish drama "Woman Unknown," directed by May el-Toukhy, with the prestigious Golden Lion award. The film delves into Denmark's history during the Nazi occupation, focusing on themes related to the female experience and the often-overlooked roles of women. El-Toukhy became only the eighth woman to win the festival's top honor, highlighting her achievement in a male-dominated industry. The jury, led by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, also awarded the Best Actor prize to John Malkovich for his role in the dark comedy "Wild Horse Nine." This win could boost his chances of securing an Oscar next year. Malkovich was unable to attend the ceremony in person, as he was filming in Montreal, but he sent a video message to accept the award. Mathilde Arcel, who played the lead in "Woman Unknown," was awarded Best Actress. She described the weight of the trophy as she accepted it, noting that it was her first lead role in a film and her debut at a major film festival. The Silver Lion grand jury prize went to South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong for "Possible Love," a poetic exploration of class and labor. This marks Lee's return to the film world after an eight-year hiatus since his acclaimed film "Burning." A special jury prize was given to the documentary "NAZA," directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The film, which was added to the festival’s main competition at the last minute, received a record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation after its premiere. Filmed secretly over three years on Tel Aviv rooftops, "NAZA" features testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders, offering a rare look into military strategy and the Gaza conflict, including perspectives on the systemic impact on Palestinian civilians. The Silver Lion for best director was awarded to Ilya Krzhanovsky for "Dau," a 20-year-long project about Soviet physicists involved in building the atomic bomb. Krzhanovsky, who gave up his Russian citizenship in protest of the invasion of Ukraine, dedicated the award to Ukrainians, including his mother, who was born in Ukraine. Other awards included Stéphane Brizé for best screenplay for "A Good Little Soldier," and Malou Khebizi for the Marcello Mastroianni Award for emerging actor in "A Place to Heal." This year’s jury included notable figures such as directors Kaouther Ben Hania, Xavier Giannoli, Shahrbanoo Sadat, and Johnnie To, as well as composer Daniel Blumberg. While high-profile Hollywood films like "Primetime," "Bunker," and "Ink" were in competition, they did not take home any major awards. The Venice Film Festival is often considered an early predictor of Oscar success, having previously launched successful campaigns for actors like Brendan Fraser and Adrien Brody. Malkovich, despite his win, remains without an Oscar to his name.