Danish director May el-Toukhy said on Sunday, at the start of presenting her drama "Woman in the Fog," competing at the Venice Film Festival, that the scarcity of women competing for the festival's top prize reflects a structural problem in the film industry.
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El-Toukhy is the only woman director among the makers of the 21 films competing for the Golden Lion, with just one other work in the competition a documentary co-directed by a woman, sparking debate over women's opportunities in cinema.
The Danish-Egyptian director said at a press conference ahead of the film's premiere: "This is a structural problem, and it's a structural problem I've faced throughout my career."
She added: "It was very, very difficult to make my first film after graduating from film school. I think it took me six or seven years, while my male colleagues were much faster than me."
Festival director Alberto Barbera defended this year's selection lineup, noting that only 24% of films submitted to the festival were directed by women, compared with 30% the previous year. He affirmed that selection decisions were based on artistic quality.
"Woman in the Fog" is set in the period after World War II and follows the story of Danish maid Marie, who was preparing to marry her wealthy employer, but a past relationship with a German soldier threatens her future life.
