# Venice's Golden Lion went to the only woman

> Maggie Gyllenhaal opened her Venice jury term calling out the gender gap, then batted away the idea her verdict was a statement.
- Title: Venice's Golden Lion went to the only woman · Variety
- Summary: Maggie Gyllenhaal opened her Venice jury term calling out the gender gap, then batted away the idea her verdict was a statement. Gyllenhaal insists the jury…
- Keywords: venice, film festivals, golden lion, maggie gyllenhaal, women directors, entertainment, culture, Venice's, Golden, Lion, went, only
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/film/festivals/maggie-gyllenhaal-woman-unknown-venice-win-not-statement-1236859872
- Author: Ellise Shafer
- Published: 2026-09-12T20:55:35+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: venice, film festivals, golden lion, maggie gyllenhaal, women directors, entertainment, culture
## She started by calling it out
Gyllenhaal began her term as Venice jury president by naming the shortage of women filmmakers competing for the Golden Lion.
## The prize went to a woman
On Saturday night the jury handed the Golden Lion to May el-Toukhy's "Woman Unknown," the only film in competition solely directed by a woman.
## A journalist smelled a message
At the post-ceremony press conference, a reporter asked whether the choice amounted to a political statement about gender in the competition.
## Gyllenhaal deadpanned back
She mocked the premise rather than defending against it, pretending the jury had never watched the winner at all.

> I actually didn't see 'Woman Unknown.' I just was like, 'It's made by a woman and so, Golden Lion!'
## The film cut through
Her real answer was about the work itself. The jury described the film as focused and unswerving, like a laser beam.

> Was like a laser beam
## Two truths at once
Pointing at a thin field of women directors and picking the best film in it are not the same act, and Gyllenhaal refused to let one explain away the other.
## Key takeaway

Gyllenhaal insists the jury picked the film on its own force, not on who made it.