The Silence of the Women: May el-Toukhy's Unflinching Portrait of WWII 'Horizontal Collaborators'

When Silence Becomes a Weapon

In her latest cinematic offering, Woman Unknown, director May el-Toukhy ventures into a rarely explored corner of World War II history—the stories of women who were accused of having relationships with German soldiers. These 'horizontal collaborators,' as el-Toukhy calls them, are often forgotten in historical narratives that tend to focus on the more prominent male actors in wartime.

"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. But in Denmark, it wasn't really explored," el-Toukhy explains.

This statement is both an admission and a provocation. It reveals how deeply embedded gendered expectations are within collective memory, especially in post-conflict societies. The female body, in the context of wartime collaboration, was not merely a physical presence but a symbol of national betrayal—often leading to public shaming, exile, or worse.

Reclaiming the Narrative

The title itself is an act of defiance—a nod to those unnamed women whose stories have been buried in archives and silence. El-Toukhy's approach is both intimate and expansive. Rather than romanticizing these women, she shows them as complex individuals shaped by trauma, fear, and moral ambiguity.

In one particularly haunting scene, a woman's back bears the swastika—a public branding that serves as both punishment and a permanent scar. It's this kind of visceral storytelling that elevates Woman Unknown above typical war films. This isn't about heroism or villainy; it's about humanity under duress.

The Weight of Historical Amnesia

Historians, too, have been complicit in this erasure. The voices of women who lived through the war—particularly those who straddled the line between collaboration and resistance—are often overlooked or sanitized. Svetlana Alexievich's The Unwomanly Face of War serves as a crucial reference point for el-Toukhy, offering a raw testament to female experiences during conflict.

"It's rare to have such recollections of the female experience during or after the war," el-Toukhy notes. "We've been so focused on male narratives that we've forgotten how powerful these women were—how they survived, how they adapted, and sometimes, how they were punished for it."

A Structural Issue at Venice

The film's release has coincided with a broader conversation about gender representation in cinema, particularly at major festivals like Venice. When only one female director was included in the main competition—a move that drew criticism—the industry is being forced to confront systemic issues.

"I do believe it's a structural problem," el-Toukhy says candidly. "Even journalists talk about male directors differently than they talk about women. I've never heard a female director called a 'genius' – and I read many articles about male geniuses."

El-Toukhy's inclusion in Venice's main competition, despite this disparity, is not just a personal triumph but a symbolic one. It forces the industry to reckon with its own biases and omissions.

The Dogma 25 Movement: A New Approach to Filmmaking

As part of the new Dogma 25 movement, el-Toukhy is pushing back against traditional filmmaking processes. "It's always healthy to disrupt your process as a filmmaker," she says. The movement emphasizes experimentation and breaking away from conventional narratives—something that perfectly aligns with Woman Unknown.

The film challenges the viewer's expectations, refusing to offer simple answers or comforting resolutions. It demands engagement with uncomfortable truths about war, identity, and morality.

Marie's Dilemma: A Modern Mirror

The protagonist, Marie, is a housemaid and nanny whose life takes a dramatic turn in the final weeks before liberation. Her carefully constructed world begins to crumble as secrets threaten to expose her past. What makes Marie compelling isn't just her actions but how she navigates the shifting moral landscape around her.

"We made a rule that we would never reproduce the male experience of war," el-Toukhy shares. "Marie goes out of the house, but the streets represent danger. People are celebrating and there's euphoria, chaos and vigilantisms. Her safe space is at home, but then insecurity and danger move in. Suddenly, there's no safe space anymore."

This narrative choice speaks volumes about the unique vulnerability women faced during wartime—not just as victims but as active participants in a world where their choices were scrutinized and punished.

Looking Forward: The Need for Change

As we reflect on Woman Unknown, it becomes clear that this is not merely a film about the past—it's a call to action for the present. The structural issues el-Toukhy identifies are not confined to the film industry; they permeate every aspect of society where women's voices are marginalized or silenced.

"We have a lot of work to do in order to change that," she asserts. And perhaps, if more filmmakers follow her lead, we might begin to see stories like Marie's no longer relegated to the margins—but instead, center stage.