Venice Film Festival's top prize goes to film made with Latvian industry involvement

Danish director Mai el-Tukī's film "The Unknown Woman" received the Golden Lion, the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, on Saturday. The film is a co-production between Danish-Swedish company Nordisk Film Production and Latvian studio Nafta Films, with 25 of its 28 shooting days completed in Riga.

Danish actress Matilde Arkel, who plays the lead role, also won the festival's award for best actress. She portrays Maria, a young nanny and housekeeper preparing to marry a wealthy widower who is older than her. However, Maria hides a shameful secret: an intimate wartime relationship with a German soldier. Set in postwar Denmark in 1945, the story reflects the real experiences of thousands of women who faced public persecution and humiliation from fellow citizens in the weeks surrounding Denmark's liberation, over relationships with German soldiers during the occupation.

Latvia's contribution

Production in Latvia was coordinated by Nafta Films, with Madara Kalniņa and Esko Rips serving as co-producers. Numerous local professionals worked on the project, including a second art director, costume designer, sound recordist, lighting artist, and location and production managers in Latvia. Filming was supported by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia and the Riga City Council's co-financing program, the Riga Film Fund.

Nafta Films operates across all three Baltic states, employing 30 permanent staff, with the company group reporting annual revenue of approximately 12 million euros last year.

Director Mai el-Tukī is known for directing multiple episodes of "The Crown." Her earlier work includes her 2015 debut feature "Long Story Short" and 2019's "Queen of Hearts," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She is also one of five filmmakers involved in Denmark's "Dogma 25" creative initiative.