Variety iconVarietySep 6, 2026

‘Woman Unknown’ Director May el-Toukhy Talks the Torment of World War II ‘Horizontal Collaborators’ and Venice’s Female Director Snub: ‘It’s a Structural Problem’

In "Woman Unknown," May el-Toukhy takes a closer look at women accused of having relationships with German soldiers during World War II. "When we started to build a story about a 'horizontal collaborator,' we realized that, during and after the war, the female body became part of national identity.

‘Woman Unknown’ Director May el-Toukhy Talks the Torment of World War II ‘Horizontal Collaborators’ and Venice’s Female Director Snub: ‘It’s a Structural Problem’

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In "Woman Unknown," May el-Toukhy takes a closer look at women accused of having relationships with German soldiers during World War II.

"When we started to build a story about a 'horizontal collaborator,' we realized that, during and after the war, the female body became part of national identity.

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In "Woman Unknown," May el-Toukhy takes a closer look at women accused of having relationships with German soldiers during World War II. "When we started to build a story about a 'horizontal collaborator,' we realized that, during and after the war, the female body became part of national identity.

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