Kvinde Ukendt (Woman Unknown)

Marie, a young nanny and housemaid, is about to marry the wealthy older widower, Christian, for whom she is working. But Marie guards a shameful secret. During World War II, she was in an intimate relationship with a German soldier. Now Marie’s 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.

“War does not have a woman’s face”, Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich writes in her book The Unwomanly Face of War. Kvinde Ukendt gives voice to historically inspired female characters we seldom hear or see and seeks to illuminate the human condition of the women who inhabit the arena of the story. Kvinde Ukendt explores the theme of the female body as a battlefield, seen through the lens of horizontal collaborators – the many women who all over Europe, during World War II, fraternised with soldiers from the occupying army, and after the war suffered severe consequences. The story is set in the immediate aftermath of the war. An ecstatic time of optimism and euphoria in Europe but also a time characterised by free rein and no genuine legal framework in place to handle the repercussions, where patriotism was on the rise and hypocrisy thrived. The women’s sexual behaviour was seen as a violation of national identity, and therefore it was deemed appropriate for individuals and groups within society to penalise the women, because of whom they had shared their bodies. The women were hunted down, publicly shamed and as a result stigmatised for life. Women have often paid the price of war with their bodies – through control, punishment, and sexual violence. Sadly, this is not only a phenomenon of the past. Kvinde Ukendt examines these structures and invites reflection on how the female body and desires are perceived – not only in times of war.

PRODUCTION 1:
Nordisk Film Production A/S - Mikael Rieks,
Mosedalvej 14
2500 Valby, Denmark
Tel: +45 60351735
E-mail: mikael.rieks@nordiskfilm.com
Web: http://www.nordiskfilm.com

PRODUCTION 2:
SIA Nafta Films - Esko Rips, Madara Kalnina,
Auces iela 7 - 9
1048 Rīga, Latvia
Tel: +371 525 6323
E-mail: esko@nafta.ee
Web: http://www.nafta.ee

PRODUCTION 3:
Nordisk Film Production Sverige AB - Johanna Bergenstråhle,
Västgötagatan 5
118 27 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel: +46 702505192
E-mail: johanna.bergenstrahle@nordiskfilm.com
Web: http://www.nordiskfilm.com

OTHER PRODUCTIONS:
Kristina Börjeson - Film i Väst

WORLD SALES:
TrustNordisk ApS - Nicolai Korsgaard
Filmbyen 22
2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
Tel: +45 24214133
E-mail: nicolai@trustnordisk.com
Web: http://www.trustnordisk.com/

ITALIAN DISTRIBUTION:
Lucky Red - Alessandra Tieri
Largo Italo Gemini, 1
00161 Roma, Italy
Tel: +39.335.8480787
E-mail: a.tieri@luckyred.it
Web: www.luckyred.it
Social Media: @luckyred - Instagram

PRESS OFFICE:
Claudia Tomassini - claudiatomassini & associates
International Film Publicity
Tel: +49 173 2055794
E-mail: press@claudiatomassini.com

Cinetic Marketing - North American Press
E-mail: Womanunknown@cineticmedia.com

ITALIAN PRESS OFFICE:
Alessandra Tieri - Lucky Red
Tel: +39.335.8480787
E-mail: a.tieri@luckyred.it

Additional press officers:
Paola Schettino Nobile - paola@claudiatomassini.com
Lorenzo Ormando - lorenzo@claudiatomassini.com