May El-Toukhy’s Venice Golden Lion Winner ‘Woman Unknown’ Gets U.S. Deal During AFM

EXCLUSIVE: In a deal closing up at the American Film Market, Cohen Media Group has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Woman Unknown, the acclaimed feature from Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy (Queen of Hearts), which won the Golden Lion for Best Film at Venice Film Festival, as well as the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for Mathilde Arcel.

The period drama, which has also been selected as Denmark’s official entry for Best International Feature Film, is set against the turbulent aftermath of World War II, and explores themes of ambition, identity, survival and the consequences of buried secrets.

The acquisition was negotiated between Robert Aaronson, Executive Vice President of Cohen Media Group, and Susan Wendt, Managing Director of TrustNordisk, which is handling international sales.

The official synopsis reads: “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.”

The film has also played at the Toronto International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Riga, Busan, Valladolid and Marrakech, among others. It is also on the fiction shortlist for the European Film Awards.

The film is directed by May el-Toukhy and written by el-Toukhy and Maren Louise Käehne. It is produced by Mikael Rieks (Land of Mine) for Nordisk Film Production A/S, in co-production with Nafta Films, Nordisk Film Production Sweden and Film i Väst.

Nordisk Film Distribution is handling local distribution, while TrustNordisk represents international sales.

Robert Aaronson, EVP of Cohen Media Group, stated: “May el-Toukhy has created an extraordinary film that combines the sweep of a historical drama with the intimacy and emotional complexity of a deeply personal story. Woman Unknown is a powerful exploration of survival, identity and the choices people make when confronted by their past, anchored by a remarkable performance from Mathilde Arcel. Its success at Venice and the recognition it has received internationally speak to the film’s exceptional artistry. We are thrilled to partner with TrustNordisk to bring this compelling work to American audiences.”

Susan Wendt, Managing Director of TrustNordisk, added: “We are really looking forward to our cooperation. Cohen’s enthusiasm for the film is very motivating and means a lot, and I am confident that they will do an excellent job of bringing the film to the market and to the American audiences.”

The filmmaker’s 2019 drama Queen of Hearts (2019) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received numerous international honors, including the Audience Award at Sundance, the Nordic Council Film Prize and three awards at the Göteborg Film Festival. El-Toukhy has also directed episodes of TV series including The Legacy, Ride Upon the Storm, Cry Wolf and Netflix’s The Crown.

Previously sold territories for Unknown Woman include UK and Ireland (Vue Lumière) Germany and Austria (Weltkino), France (Memento), Spain (Karma Films), Poland (Best Film), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), the former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom Film), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Bulgaria (Beta Film), Italy (Lucky Red), Benelux (September Film), Latin America (California Filmes), Greece and Cyprus (Neo Films) and the Baltics (Estin Film).

The production received support from the Danish Film Institute, Eurimages – Council of Europe, the 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.