# Female Directors in Venice Film Festival Competition Plunge, Only May El-Toukhy Remains

The 2024 Venice Film Festival has only one female director, May El-Toukhy, in its main competition lineup, marking a sharp decline from previous years. This reflects a setback in gender parity efforts at one of cinema's most prestigious events, raising questions about industry inclusivity.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Entertainment
- [Variety](https://variety.com/2026/film/festivals/venice-film-festival-drop-female-directors-may-el-toukhy-1236818979/) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:32:51 +0000