EXCLUSIVE: TrustNordisk has unveiled fresh deals and a teaser-trailer for May el-Toukhy‘s post-World War Two Denmark-set psychological drama Woman Unknown ahead of its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
Adding to a previously announced sale to Italy (Lucky Red), TrustNordisk has also sealed deals to Benelux (September Films), Latin America (California Filmes), Greece (Neo Films) and the Baltics (Estin Film) with more territories on the verge of being signed.
Rising Danish actress Mathilde Arcel (Second Victims), stars as Marie, a young nanny and housemaid who is on the cusp of marrying her wealthy, older, widowed employer Christian in the immediate aftermath of the end of World War Two.
Amid the jubilation, there is a darker side to the liberation as woman who fraternized with German soldiers are tracked down and publicly shamed. Marie’s secret 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.
Arcel is joined in the cast by Carsten Bjørnlund (The Legacy) as the austere figure of Christian; Thorbjørn Hedegaard (Generations) as a dangerous, obsessive admirer from Marie’s past and Marina Bouras (The Idiots), as the household’s all-seeing housekeeper.
Danish Egyptian director el-Toukhy is one of just two female directors in the running for the Golden Lion at Venice this year.
Woman Unknown is her third feature film after Long Story Short and Queen of Hearts and continues her co-writing collaboration with screenwriter Maren Louise Käehne.
“Even before the film has had its international premiere, it has been an amazing ride – this goes both in terms of festivals, but also in terms of having such a strong group of distributors on board at this early stage and several others currently in talks. We can’t wait for the premiere in Venice on Sunday, where we will for sure be even more busy,” said Susan Wendt, Managing Director at TrustNordisk.
Following its Venice premiere, Woman Unknown heads to Toronto, where it will make its North American premiere in the Centrepiece sidebar, before playing in competition at the BFI London Film Festival followed by Riga International Film Festival.
Woman Unknown is produced 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.
The film received the support of the Danish Film Institute, Eurimages – Council of Europe, 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.
Local distribution is by Nordisk Film Distribution which has set a February 4, 2027 release date in Denmark.
