The prestigious Golden Lion, the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, was awarded to May el-Toukhy's 'Woman Unknown.' This Danish resistance thriller, set in the aftermath of World War II, captivated the jury, led by president Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film tells the gripping story of a woman desperately trying to conceal her past involvement with a Nazi, as the truth threatens to unravel her carefully constructed social standing.

Adding to the film's success, its lead actress, Mathilde Arcel, was honored with the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her compelling portrayal. 'Woman Unknown' was notably among the few films directed by a woman in the main competition, prior to the late addition of 'NAZA.'

Among other significant awards, Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' received the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, while Ilya Khrzhanovsky was recognized with the Silver Lion for Best Director for his epic 'DAU.' The Special Jury Prize went to the Gaza documentary 'NAZA,' directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.

John Malkovich took home the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in Martin McDonagh's dark comedy 'Wild Horse Nine,' a role already generating Oscar buzz for the veteran actor. The Best Screenplay award was given to Coralie Amedeo, Stéphane Brizé, and Olivier Gorce for 'Un Bon Petit Soldat.' Malou Khebizi earned the Marcello Mastroianni Best Young Actor Award for 'A Place to Heal,' and the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Debut Film was presented to Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu's 'House of the Wind.' The Audience Award, sponsored by Armani Beauty, went to Alina Șerban’s 'I Matter.'

The Orizzonti (Horizons) section, dedicated to emerging talents, also announced its winners. 'Diane in the Loop' by Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni won Best Film, and Jacqueline Lentzou was named Best Director for 'A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra.' Other Orizzonti awards included Laleh Marzban for Best Actress in 'Falling House,' Riccardo Scamarcio for Best Actor in 'The Children of the Monkey,' and Tommaso Landucci and Damiano Femfert for Best Screenplay for 'The Children of the Monkey.'

This year's festival continued its tradition of showcasing diverse cinematic voices, with a full slate of winners across various categories.